Letters

Disappointment over PINA

Whilst it is good to read the flowery and colorful descriptive ‘words’ of pride by the PINA executive in awarding the winners of this year’s ‘Freedom Award’ and “Best Newspaper Award”, one wonders what is the PINA stance on the current Solomon Islands government “media ban?” - an issue that tests the very foundation of media freedom and democracy.

As a journalist from that part of the Pacific currently studying and enjoying the “freedom of expression” in Fiji, it is disheartening to see that the recent Pacific Islands News Association convention which ended in Suva this week, had failed miserably to raise the issue.

It is rather bizarre that PINA, a regional media body that had consistently over the years claimed to be standing for ‘freedom of expression,’ failed to even raise the issue. Isn’t this a “Big joke” to talk about and even celebrating ‘freedom awards’ when a member country is exactly fighting a losing battle against a notorious government media ban?

While it is understood that the PINA president, four months ago during the initial stage of the media ban, condemned the Solomon Islands government decree, it should not be a one off affair. There should be a constant pressure(s) not only from the local media, but the region - especially from a media organization like PINA - with its worldwide connection(s). The Media Association of Solomon Islands (MASI) had proved that it could not fight it all alone. As of today, the “media ban” in Solomon Islands is still intact.

Surprisingly, at the end of the five day PINA conference, attended by media tycoons, senior regional media executives and so-called professional journalists through out the region, none of them even cared to say a “single-word” about the current government ‘media ban’ in Solomon Islands. It makes one wonder on whether or not the silence over the issue has been due to the PINA President’s media business interest in Solomon Islands (a co owner of the newly established FM radio stations - PAOA). Whatever explanation the

PINA executive would give, its action has failed the people of Solomon Islands, who have been deprived of their democratic rights and the freedom of express that ‘cherished’ and enjoyed by regional countries whose media executives and representatives were attending the PINA convention in Fiji.

Shocking to note that the local co owner of the PAOA FM radio station in the Solomon Islands, who is the owner publisher of the Solomon Star ? and the general manager of our only nation-wide broadcasting radio station, the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Station (SIBC), attended the convention but left without a trace of their presence. It causes one to wonder - what are these media executives really standing for. Aren’t they supposed to be ‘promoters and protectors’ of media freedom?

Their silence should be a cause of concern for any right-thinking journalist from the region and especially Solomon Islands, who cares about ‘freedom of expression’ which is the main essence of democracy. Yet in the midst of this silence, PINA announced its ‘media freedom awards,’ without any reference to the hardship the media industry in Solomon Islands is currently facing.

It is rather obvious that with the current ‘club’ of media tycoons with huge business interests in the region, the issue of fighting for ‘media freedom' is no longer in their agenda, but clearly substituted by entrepreneurs’ interests.

This new development had seen in the media industry compromising of ‘freedom of expression’ in return for governments’ favor. Such an issue had painted a negative image of the Pacific, while putting the PINA media freedom award(s) like a - “Governments-Media

Reciprocity Award.”

It is my sincere hope that PINA and its Solomon Islands’ media industry members stop pretending and redirect their focus for the promotion of media freedom in our beloved country. And the protection of our ‘democratic’ rights and the lives of our innocent people whose very existence are under threats by the Solomon Islands

government current “designed media ban.”

Duran Angiki

Journalism Program University of the South Pacific Republic of Fiji