Dear Members,

The Hong Kong Journalists Association 2007-2008 Executive Committee was elected at the Annual General Meeting on 30 June.  First and the foremost, on behalf of the new Executive Committee (Excom),  I would like to greet you and  hope the Excom can serve you in a better way and actively push forward the HKJA’s activities.
  
However, some candidates who were disqualified by the previous Executive committee lodged complaints to the Appeal Tribunal.  The Appeal Tribunal completed the first draft of its findings a few days ago.  Its full report will be announced later.   

On 1 July, the HKJA carried a banner: “Free Ching Cheong” through the streets together with the Ching Cheong Incident Concern Group.  We hope the Central authorities will grant an early release for Ching Cheong, jailed for alleged spying, under medical parole.  Our association will continue to march with the Ching Cheong Incident Concern Group to secure the immediate release for Ching Cheong.

There has been no further progress in the long-delayed salary and mandatory provident fund payments in the Sing Pao case.  The Sing Pao Concern Group is now actively lining up the affected staff members to discuss further action.  Our Excom member HO Fu-yee is also one of the group members and he will report back to us about their progress.  We will try our very best to assist the laid off staff members and those members still employed to secure their unpaid salaries and rights.

At the end of June, the former Chief Secretary Mr. Rafael Hui was interviewed by the undergraduates of Department of Journalism and Communications, Hong Kong Shue Yan University.  The Information Services Department of HKSAR Government (GIS) showed the interview on its own website using shots and outtakes by its own crew.  According to the explanation given by the Head of Department Professor LEUNG Tin-wai, the GIS did not allow the crew of Shue Yan University to record the interview on the grounds that there was not enough room to accommodate two camera crews. As a result some members expressed concern about this incident. We will therefore, organize a forum entitled: “Exploring the government’s trend on disseminating information” on 11 August.     We propose to invite the representation of GIS, Professor LEUNG Tin-wai or representative of Shue Yan University undergraduates, the graduates of Shue Yan University, media editors and lecturers of the departments of journalism and communications of tertiary institutes.   We sincerely hope that the undergraduates and the practising journalists will take part in this exchange.

Finally I wish you all the best!

Lo King Wah (Chairperson of HKJA 07-08)