Former press secretary to the Prime Minister and journalist, Huntley Medley, is the new chief executive officer of the Jamaica Information Service (JIS).

Medley, who took up his position on Monday, brings a wealth of experience to the post with more than 12 years in media both locally and regionally, and six years experience as communication specialist in Government.

On Sunday, Medley told The Gleanerhe was looking forward to the challenge that the job brings.

"I have been given assurance of support from the junior level to the senior level," he said. "I am confident of the support and I really look forward to the challenge and to doing the best possible job of delivering high quality national public information."

Mr. Medley is replacing Carmen Tipling, who resigned last year. She held the position for six years. He will assume responsibility for the agency's operations, which include the editorial, radio and television departments, and its five regional and overseas offices.

Mr. Medley served as press secretary to Prime Minister P.J. Patterson from 1997 to 2000, and again between 2002 to 2004. He was a communication consultant at the CARICOM Secretariat in Georgetown, Guyana.

He, however, got his grounding in media where he served as a Gleaner correspondent in 1983 while still in high school.

He spent a significant part of his career working in western Jamaica. He has worked as a journalist at the Western Mirror; as Western Bureau chief for the RJR Communications Group; and as assistant news editor for the Montego Bay offices of the Jamaica Observer.