THE Press Association of Jamaica (PAJ) took a hammering from Parliament’s human resource and social development committee Tuesday, as incensed members blasted the organisation for its disrespect of the committee’s summons to attend the meeting.

Members slammed the PAJ for what they called total “disrespect of the committee”, and the organisation’s failure to recognise its vital role in discussing the issue for which its presence was requested.

In a unanimous and decisive mode, last week committee members agreed that players in music, media, academia, regulatory, educational and social service sector should appear before the committee to help provide more discourse on the prevailing decadence in the music industry.

That decadence has evolved into lyrical verbiage between two main players, with physical and invisible lines being drawn in the now infamous Gully/Gaza feud.

The onslaught on the media started with the chairman, Dr Fenton Ferguson, who said the invitation was not a frivolous matter.

“When a parliamentary committee extends an invitation to persons out there, it is not a casual invitation. I was told that there was no response from the PAJ, but it was near meeting time that PAJ president Byron Buckley had called to say he could not make it.” Ferguson told incensed members.

His comments opened the floodgates for criticisms of the press, which according to members, was quick to point out shortcomings of the parliamentarians.

PAJ vice-president Daraine Luton was present, but was covering the meeting as a reporter.

“I think that as members we should express our disappointment in a group like the PAJ. It is unforgivable [for] a topic of the nature that we have been discussing here this afternoon, and which we had a robust discussion on our last meeting. And without any proper explanation or apology they are not here. I think it is something that we should look at with disgust,” he said.

The committee secretary said the invitation was extended on November 13, the same day it was extended to the other participants in the proceedings. Members, some of whom cancelled other engagements to attend the sitting, were not amused by the no-show.

“I hope that there is some bit of excuse. I recommend that they be summoned formally to the next session.” member Ronald Thwaites said.

“It is interesting that the PAJ among other organisations are insistent that we should be here to hear them when it is a question of their freedoms that they want to protect. But when they are looking to the broader public interest as the subject of this session implies, they treat us with scant respect. So please convey those sentiments and insist that they be here next time.”

Michael Stern, who skipped a meeting in order to be present at the sitting, said the PAJ no-show was offensive.

“We need to convey to the persons with importance in the society that we are all here almost as volunteers serving our country and that while we are elected and paid to do our work, we do it at great sacrifice,” he said.

Ferguson, at 1:20 pm, with less than a minute before the proceedings ended, read a note from PAJ president Byron Buckley.

In that note, Buckley said he was pressed for time with national journalism week activities, and was unable to attend.

Buckley, for his part said in a news release yesterday that it would have been difficult for the PAJ to appear before the committee on the proposed date and be adequately prepared to make a meaningful contribution.

“The topic being considered by the committee – The Impact of Music with Violent Content on the Youth – is not directly related to the remit of the PAJ, which represents media practitioners involved in the production of news and information,” Buckley said. “Nonetheless, we would be willing to contribute to the committee’s deliberations. We will send the committee written submissions by December 14 and make ourselves available for a subsequent appearance.”

Ferguson has made it clear that the meeting requested a representative of the PAJ and not necessarily the president.