TEAM HERALD
bureau@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: Kishor Naik Gaonkar of Goa Doot, was today elected President of Goa Union of Journalists (GUJ) for 2013-15 at the annual general body meeting held at GUJ hall, Patto-Panaji.
Gaonkar polled 90 votes and scored a comfortable victory with a margin of 68 votes over the other three contestants for the post of President. The other candidates in the fray Sudesh Arlekar and Rupesh Samant polled 22 votes each and Raju B Naik got 21 votes.
The 10-member executive committee members elected are Premnath Gawade (112 votes), Sanghmitra Mainkar Faldessai (111), Suhasini Prabhugaokar (110), Kishore Shet Mandrekar (110), Yeshwant Patil (105), Kailas Naik (109), Ashley do Rosario (99), Sudesh Arlekar (88), Gerard D'Souza (82), and Ganesh Shetkar (78).
Mr Balaji Prabhugaonkar was the returning officer for the elections.
Earlier, outgoing general secretary Vithaldas Hegde read out the report of the activities of GUJ. The meeting also constitued a five-member penal under the chairmanship of veteran journalist Pramod Khandeparkar to review the existing Journalists Welfare Scheme. Its other members are Sigmund de Souza, Sagar Jawdekar, Audumbar Shinde and Leena Pednekar. The committee will seek suggestions and comments from the members and submit its recommendations to the GUJ executive committee.
The meeting also resolved that in future GUJ should not tie-up with any other organisation and maintain its credibility.
The meeting unanimously adopted resolutions moved by senior jorunalist Prakash Kamat, urging the government to deduct two per cent as cess from the annual advertisement bills paid to media organizations to create Journalists Welfare Fund and the government can implement welfare schemes for journalists by giving matching grants in the funds every year.
The other resolutions which were passed were to set up a women's cell by GUJ and to create a relieffund.