JAMAICA

JAMAICA WHEREAS The Gleaner Company Limited, the oldest newspaper publishing house in Jamaica, received an order to pay 80.7 million Jamaican dollars, equivalent to U.S. $2.3 million, plus court costs, to a former tourism minister in respect of an Associated Press article it had carried an award of this magnitude is out of proportion and could seriously damage the newspaper company's finances, thus is an attack on press freedom THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE IAPA RESOLVES to call upon the government of Jamaica to implement immediate changes to the libellaws to refiect more realistic awards, as otherwise freedom of the press will be in jeopardy in Jamaica as no media company could afford to pay this massive and outrageous award.