PUL Wants Journalists' Labor Dignified

By Ora Garway

The Press Union of Liberia (PUL) has called on owners of media institutions in the country to begin to dignify the labor of journalists working within those institutions by paying them deserving salaries.

“For too long media managers have abused the rights of their workers, this too is a threat to press freedom”, PUL Secretary General Peter Quaqua said. He spoke last Saturday during the PUL awards night held at the Golden Beach in Sinkor.

According to him, “the accumulated effects of empty stomachs, impunity, and corruption jeopardize democracy; the greatest threat to democracy does not always come from the barrel of the gun, but the collected effects of poverty, apathy an economic insecurity”.

Mr. Quaqua also urged the government to consider the passage of the three bills into law recently submitted to the Legislature so as to demonstrate the governments expressed commitment to press freedom.

“We should also deplore recent maneuvering by our friends at the Information Ministry to scare the press into submission by its harsh regulatory regime. Licensing of the media is undemocratic and therefore not press friendly. Our government must stop it”, Peter said.