3:14 PM |
The participation of the Fiji Ministry of Information generated a lively debate at the Pacific Media Summit of the Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) today.
Several delegates wanted to know why two officials from the Fiji government ministry had been invited to the weeklong summit that began here at the weekend
They also wanted to know why one of them, Lance Corporal Talei Tora had been invited to address the summit.
"I think it is stifling and appalling to have representatives of the Fiji military addressing this summit," said the publisher of the Cook Islands News newspaper and PINA member, John Woods.
"Why are they here?" he asked.
Similar questions were raised by some other delegates.
In response, PINA secretariat manager Matai Akauola said Fiji's ministry of information is a member of PINA and as such, they are entitled to be at the meeting.
"As for the invitation for them to address the summit, we want to let them explain their position and also at the same time for them to answer questions delegates may have on the Fiji media situation," said Akauola.
"We thought it's good to have your questions answered right from the horses' mouth."
Corporal Tora was also invited to respond to the questions.
She said the Ministry of Information Fiji had been a long time financial member of PINA and they are in Vanuatu to meet members and foster friendship and networking.
"We are only staff of the Ministry of Information and as indigenous Pacific women we feel empowered and honoured to be asked to represent our government to this meeting.
"But we are here and we will be ready to answer any of the questions you have."
Later in today's session, Fiji Times' editor in chief Netani Rika asked to be excused from the panel which included Corporal Tora.
Mr Rika thanked PINA for affording the Fiji ministry of information the opportunity to be heard in the summit, saying it was the only right thing to do.
After saying this, Mr Rika ended his presentation and left the conference room.
The Pacific Media Summit of PINA, which is the main organization of media organisations in the Pacific, has drawn over 200 delegates from across the islands including Australia and New Zealand.
The summit began with workshops on Saturday and Sunday on issues like sports reporting, media freedom, climate change and food security.
For today and tomorrow, the summit goes into its main plenary before delegates go into retreat on Wednesday and hold its media awards night.
Executives of PINA would also be elected at the Association's annual meeting on Wednesday
SOURCE: PACNEWS
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pacific islands media association
pima.nius@gmail.com
aotearoa, new zealand
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