THE Press Association of Jamaica (PAJ) yesterday launched a $10-million fund to assist local journalists who have retired from the profession and are destitute.

"There are too many heartbroken stories of fallen soldiers. of those who have fallen on hard times. and that's why the PAJ has decided that we have to do something to help those members of the profession," president of the PAJ Desmond Richards told the launch of the Hugh Shearer Fund for Retired Journalists at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in Kingston.

President of the Press Association of Jamaica Desmond Richards (centre) speaks with Mexican Ambassador to Jamaica Benito Andion (left) and Arnold Foote after the launch of the $10-million Hugh Shearer Fund for Retired Journalists, at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in Kingston yesterday. (Photo: Joseph Wellington)

Richards said that the fund - named in honour of the late former prime minister Hugh Shearer - will provide financial assistance to those retired journalists who have been living without proper support systems for basic needs such as health care.

The PAJ president, noting that there have been cases of journalists becoming destitute after retirement, cited a case where one person committed suicide after he became too overwhelmed by the basic financial commitments and was too embarrassed to go "cap in hand" and ask for help.

The PAJ does not now have a full list of retired journalists and the conditions under which they live, but Richards said efforts were being made to get the names of all retired members of the profession in rural and urban areas in order to develop a proper directory.

In the meantime, chairman of the fund and dean of the Diplomatic Corps Arnold Foote remembered the work of late journalists Carl Wint, Terry Smith, Calvin Bowen and J C Prout, whom he said all contributed to the development of the profession. "They are gone but will never be forgotten," he said.

Foote, who had served as CEO of the now defunct Jamaica Daily News, said that the fund was an appropriate tribute to the late former prime minister, whom he said always showed a keen interest in the development of journalists.

"He was always concerned with the journalism profession, the human condition of those about whom he made daily inquiries - especially those who were bedridden or had fallen on hard times," Foote said.

Foote said that the $10 million raised will be placed on a long-term deposit and the interest earned will be used to fund the members in need.

He urged the PAJ to create a volunteer group to go on planned visits to help some of the retirees deal with loneliness, which he described as "the bane of old age".
Foote yesterday presented a cheque for $100,000 for the fund and called on corporate Jamaica to assist in achieving the $10-million goal.

Errol Howlett of PRO Communications also presented a $20,000-cheque to PAJ treasurer Ralston Hyman, yesterday.