Articles by Pacific Islands News Association (PINA)
Papua New Guinea Prime Minister pledges opposition to media laws
(PINA/IFEX) – Bill Skate, Papua New Guinea Prime Minister, marked World Press Freedom Day with a pledge of total opposition to any move to reintroduce proposed media laws which would allow for the licensing of journalists and news organisations. After making this announcement at a World Press Freedom Day news conference, he invited journalists to […]
PINA announces French Polynesia convention dates
(PINA/IFEX) – The Pacific Islands news media will meet in the French Polynesian capital, Papeete, at the 19-22 October 1998 Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) convention. This follows discussions between the PINA Secretariat in Suva, French Polynesian news organisations and the territorial government. The PINA convention constitutes the main annual meeting of the news media […]
Pacific Islands World Press Freedom Day campaign reaches climax
(PINA/IFEX) – Weeks of World Press Freedom Day activities in the Pacific Island nations and territories climax this weekend with debates on broadcasting stations and special sections in newspapers. The Pacific Islands News Association (PINA), with help from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), coordinated a major campaign reaching out to all […]
Samoan media banned from reporting inquiry into Prime Minister’s theft file
(PINA/IFEX) – Samoan journalists have been ordered not to report proceedings of a Commission of Inquiry into the disappearance of a police file showing Prime Minister Tofilau Eti Alesana was convicted in 1996 and fined on two counts of theft. On 28 April 1998, Commission Chairman Maiava Iulai Toma told reporters that they were banned […]
Papua New Guinea Deputy Prime Minister warns “foreign” interests after editorial
(PINA/IFEX) – Papua New Guinea Deputy Prime Minister Michael Nali has issued a thinly-veiled warning to the country’s two daily newspapers, both of which have overseas companies as majority shareholders. “The National” newspaper reported on 15 April 1998 that Nali reacted angrily to a critical editorial it published about him. He said the right to […]
“The Fiji Times” to challenge Senate finding
(PINA/IFEX) – On 8 April 1998, “The Fiji Times” announced that its lawyers are beginning a legal challenge against a finding by the Senate Privileges Committee, which held that the newspaper breached parliamentary privilege. Publisher Alan Robinson said: “In essence, we reported the facts. And just how an editorial opinion can misrepresent proceedings of the […]
Senate committee warns media of parliamentary privilege sanctions
(PINA/IFEX) – According to a report issued by the Senate’s privileges committee, “The Fiji Times”, the country’s largest newspaper, breached parliamentary privilege in reporting and editorializing on a short meeting of the country’s Senate. Though the committee recommended that no formal charges be laid, it warned that, if faced with articles breaching parliamentary privilege in […]
‘Akilisi Pohiva convicted of defamation in Tonga
(PINA/IFEX) – Tongan Pro-Democracy Movement Member of Parliament and publisher ‘Akilisi Pohiva was convicted of two defamation charges and fined in the Magistrate’s Court in the Tongan capital, Nuku’alofa, on 30 March 1998. **Updates IFEX alert dated 10 March 1998** Magistrate Vusenga Helu fined Pohiva 500 pa’anga ($US 336), or in default six months’ imprisonment, […]