Juba Post newspaper forced to suspend journalists over rising costs
By Amoko Robert
September 7, 2011, (JUBA) – The Juba Post newspaper in South Sudan has been forced to suspend at least five journalists after running costs increased following the country’s independence, its director said Monday.
South Sudan seceded from Khartoum on July 9 after a huge vote in favour of independence in a referendum as part of a peace deal six years ago.
The Juba Post was published for the first time on 9 January 2005, the day the former rebels the SPLM signed the Comprehensive Peace Agreement with Khartoum.
Since independence, the Sudanese government has refused to allow the newspaper to be printed in Khartoum, causing a financial crisis due to loss of revenue.
On several occasions Charles Rehan Surur the director the newspaper says he has requested that Khartoum reverse its decision.
In a bid to keep the newspaper in business Rehan says he has begun printing and importing the newspaper from Uganda but at a far higher cost. The newspaper now publishes once rather than twice a week.
The increase in costs meant that cuts had to be made, Rehan said at an editorial meeting on Monday.
“I hope all of you understand […] the reason to your suspension. I know all of you are hard working people”, Rehan told his newsroom.
Rehan said his hand had been forced by the new financial situation and the suspensions would not have happened “under normal circumstances.”
According to Rehan he received approval for the suspensions from the ministry of labour but some journalists have denied.
An anonymous journalist told Sudan Tribune that he accepted the indefinite suspension but warned that if the company did not pay him compensation and his salary he “will drag them to court”.
“Juba Post newspaper is not the only media institution that employs journalists but we have got [the] right to sue the company in court if […] they don’t comply with our request”, he said.
A copy of the suspension letter seen by Sudan Tribune claimed that some of the journalists report to the office late and don’t sign in the daily attendance book.
Sudan Tribune failed to reach director and the editor in chief on Wednesday.
(ST)
harry
Juba Post newspaper forced to suspend journalists over rising costs
Bad wording! It should be called ” layoff ” not suspension. Suspension means one is being stop from the work due to violation he/she committed against the company code of ethics, or organizational culture. On the other hand, layoff means when company is running short of revenues “money” in business to supplement its work force and operations, then the company can layoff or cut down the work force to lower the cost of operations. And this is perfectly legal. Nothing the company did wrong to layoff or reduce its work force to minimal level of surviving the business. The journalist that intent to sue have no legal ground if the company served him with a letter of layoff notice, but he can have a case if he got serve with a letter with suspension notice..
Harry,
Wundit
Juba Post newspaper forced to suspend journalists over rising costs
to Harry
you should not worry since they don’t know communication skills just leave them with their affairs we are tried daily complaints all the time.