THE Press Association of Jamaica (PAJ) yesterday expressed concern about an incident in Montego Bay last Friday at which executive editor and CEO of The Sunday Herald Christene King alleged she was verbally abused by Minister of Information Daryl Vaz.

Vaz, however, in a statement issued shortly after that of the PAJ, denied that he abused the veteran journalist. The Cabinet minister, who acknowledged having a brief encounter with King, dismissed the allegation of abusing her, which he said “could be substantiated by the many dignitaries and other guests who were in his presence”.

King, in a letter addressed to PAJ President Jenni Campbell, alleged that she was verbally abused and threatened by Minister Vaz as he ranted about a story that the newspaper was scheduled to publish.

King, in her letter to the PAJ, said she was stunned at the minister’s behaviour which, in her opinion, was threatening and abusive.

“As a member of the media I take great offence from the minister, a public official, being verbally abusive to me about a story to be published in my newspaper. And as a woman also, I take great affront of the minister coming up into my face and using expletives to me,” she said.

The PAJ, which yesterday rejected and condemned attacks — verbal or otherwise — against journalists, urged persons who feel they have been wronged by the press to use existing channels, including the courts, to settle grievances.

Said the PAJ: “Abusive words, intended or not, serve only to block the free flow of information and further foster the perception of distrust and corruption. The PAJ is moving to establish its own self-monitoring mechanism that will accommodate the airing of these issues and provide other avenues for their resolution.

“We push for our membership to adapt the Code of Practice that was ratified by the organisation and operate within the agreed statutes so that the public will know what to expect of us as we carry out our duties.”

Vaz, in the meantime, said he had a grave concern over what he described as the “predictable and calculated attacks” on the government and its members by the Sunday Herald newspaper. The attacks, he alleged, were not only malicious but grossly unprofessional and politically motivated.

In a letter of complaint to the PAJ, Vaz said he was concerned about the effect the Sunday Herald was having on the profession of journalism. He has called on the PAJ to investigate what he said has been “the grossly unprofessional level of journalism” being practised by that newspaper.