–as General Elections nearMore than 50 media personnel,Miguel Layun Jersey, including individual journalists and owners of mediaKN’s Publisher, Glenn Lall, signs on to the Media Code of Conducthouses, signed on to the Media Code of Conduct yesterday, a quota which represents two times the amount that had signed on last year.The strategic move was preceded by a two-day media workshop at the Grand Coastal Inn, Le Ressouvenir, East Coast Demerara. That workshop concluded yesterday. It was held under the theme ‘Promoting democracy through Journalist Excellence’.The workshop commenced on Friday and was aimed at preparing media workers for fair coverage of the upcoming elections and served to enlighten participants by providing them with details as it relates to the Code of Conduct for the media for reporting on the General and Regional Elections this year.According to Dr Paloma Mohamed,Lucas Moura Jersey, who chaired yesterday’s proceedings, the initiative was basically a re-training process for media workers since a similar activity was undertaken last year.She said that while some media houses had signed on to the Code last year the workshop was geared at having them recommit while others got the opportunity to embrace it as well.“We are cognizant of the fact that a lot of the people have changed in the media and there are a number of new faces…For instance, there was no Guyana Times and TV G was different…right now we have a different mix of media workers…and so the major objective was to ensure that the young people,Mousa Dembele Hotspur Jersey UK, in particular, had an idea of the Code and understand how it should be applied.”The training session was characterized by a number of presentations and hands on participation which saw those in attendance utilizing the Code of Conduct to solve various scenarios.The workshop,Carlos Vela Jersey, which was spearheaded by the University of Guyana’s Centre for Communication Studies and the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) was supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). It entailed an elaborate presentation yesterday by officials of GECOM who highlighted some of the key areas of consideration for the upcoming elections.“The targets were the journalists ( on Friday) and editors and media owners? (yesterday)… It is not expected that individual journalists will be holding their respective organizations to the Code; that’s the job of the owners and editors. But the journalists can sign on once they know what they are signing on to…” Dr Mohamed asserted during an invited comment.A section of the gathering, yesterdayAnd indeed there were several journalists on hand from the various media houses who took the opportunity to sign on yesterday as did the editors and media owners, an undertaking that was kicked off by Kaieteur News? Publisher,Nick Powell Jersey,? Glenn Lall.Other notable media owners and editors included Mr Chandra Narine Sharma and Savitri Singh of CNS Channel 6, whose broadcast licence was recently suspended by President Bharrat Jagdeo; Editor-In-Chief of Capitol News, Enrico Woolford; Editor of the Guyana Chronicle, Mark Ramotar; Martin Goolsaran of the National Communication’s Network and Cheryl Springer of Stabroek News.Presenting closing remarks yesterday was facilitator of the two-day workshop International Media Consultant and President of the Caribbean Media Workers Association, Mr Wesley Gibbings, who pointed out that yesterday’s signing was in fact “news and history-making simultaneously.”“I am very, very happy and gladdened by what I have witnessed here today…”He added too that he did not recognize any inconsistencies between the requirement of the Code of Conduct, sound journalistic practice and freedom of the press even as asserted that the Code promotes freedom of the press and is something that all journalists of Guyana should grasp with two hands and fully embrace.Fully endorsing the proceedings yesterday was GECOM Chairman, Dr Steve Surujbally,Juan Cuadrado Jersey, who said that not only was it a complete success but went on to stress that the beauty of the Code is that it is a self regulatory measure.“Self regulation is the essence of it; nobody is forcing you to follow it, it is a personal responsibility. I hope that the journalists progress into a greater force so that they can help GECOM with its own thrust to ensure a fair and free election.”He alluded to the fact that while ther