Chartered Accountant Terrence Jaskaran has taken aim at the Guyana Press Association (GPA), urging the body to focus less on what he described as “politically biased statements” and more on improving the overall quality and professionalism of the local press.
In a letter published in Guyana Times, Jaskaran expressed his “utter disbelief” at a recent Facebook post by the GPA, where the association condemned what it called “the President’s attack on journalist Travis Chase.” The incident stems from a now widely circulated exchange between President Irfaan Ali and Chase, which the GPA suggested raised concerns about press freedom.
But Jaskaran disagrees. He believes the GPA missed an opportunity to address what he considers a more fundamental issue- ensuring that media workers understand and follow proper protocol when engaging with the Head of State.
Citing Robert Hickey’s Honor & Respect: The Official Guide to Names, Titles, & Forms of Address and the widely used AP Style guidelines, Jaskaran noted that a sitting President should be addressed formally as “Mr. President” or, on first reference, “President Irfaan Ali” before reverting to “Ali” on subsequent mentions.
“Perhaps the GPA should spend a little less time on issuing statements with a political bias,” Jaskaran wrote, “and seek to spend more time on what should perhaps be one of its fundamental purposes- developing the overall quality of the press in Guyana.”
He argued that training sessions, workshops on media etiquette, and stricter guidance on professional conduct could help elevate journalism standards locally. According to him, this includes holding members accountable when basic courtesies are not observed.
Jaskaran also accused the GPA of displaying “apparent bias” by defending what he described as Chase’s “plainly rude and aggressive approach” toward the President, suggesting that the association’s position undermines its legitimacy as an independent body representing media workers.
“The GPA’s stance on this issue and subsequent agreement with the manner in which Chase addressed the President of Guyana highlights its continued bias towards the Government and undermines the legitimacy of the Association as an independent representative body for media workers.”
