Pacific Islands News Association (PINA)

(PINA/IFEX) – On 21 May 1998, Samoa’s main independent news organisation, the daily newspaper “Samoa Observer”, said it would stop attending news conferences by the official Government spokesperson. An editorial written by the paper’s editor-publisher, Savea Sano Malifa, called the news conferences held by Deputy Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malilelegaoi a “mockery of justice being […]

(PINA/IFEX) – Samoan news organisations reacted with shock to a Government decision that public money will, in future, be used to pay for Government leaders to sue the news media. On 15 May 1998, Samoan Government Minister and spokesperson Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi announced that leaders who are “victims of wrongful accusations” may now ask the […]

(PINA/IFEX) – In IFEX alert update of 11 May 1998, the king of the French Pacific island of Wallis was incorrectly described as the island’s ruler. He should have been described as the island’s traditional king, as was reported by PINA. The Clearing House regrets the error. ** Correct IFEX alert of 11 May 1998** […]

(PINA/IFEX) – On 12 May 1998, Lance Polu, president of the Journalists Association of Western Samoa, said he will seek a meeting with Samoa’s Prime Minister, Tofilau Eti Alesana, over death threats a Government minister allegedly made to Molesi Taumaoe. Taumaoe is the Samoa-based assistant editor of the weekly Samoan-language newspaper “Samoa Post.” Taumaoe reported […]

(PINA/IFEX) – Radio and television services in the small French Pacific Islands territory of Wallis and Futuna remains off the air as of 9 May, but the manager and two editors detained by angry villagers have been released. According to information obtained by PINA, the villagers were upset when two other villages were given more […]

(PINA/IFEX) – Reports from the small French Pacific Islands territory of Wallis and Futuna say villagers have occupied its television station and are holding the manager and two editors. The station is run by the Societe Nationale de Radio Television Francaise D’Outre Mer (RFO), which operates radio and television services in France’s overseas territories. According […]

(PINA/IFEX) – According to PINA, Carol Colville, editor of the weekly “Solomon Voice” newspaper in Honiara, Solomon Islands, had her home raided by a group of men in the early hours of the morning of 3 May 1998. The raid followed reports in the paper on controversial land allocations. According to Colville, during the raid, […]

(PINA/IFEX) – Vanuatu’s only independent newspaper, “Vanuatu Trading Post”, withdrew support from the country’s national news media association, Pres Klab blong Vanuatu, on 3 May 1998. It came after Pres Klab blong Vanuatu marked World Press Freedom Day with awards to the country’s four prime ministers since independence in 1980 from joint British-French rule. “Trading […]