Articles by Pacific Islands News Association (PINA)
ABC Papua New Guinea reporter tells of intimidation, praises local media
(PINA/IFEX) – Sean Dorney, the Papua New Guinea bureau chief of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), says his network has recently received “verbal intimidation” from supporters of Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Bill Skate in Port Moresby. Dorney says Prime Minister Skate “continuously attacked” the ABC during a Christmas tour of the civil-war-torn Papua New […]
“Samoa Observer” case goes to Court of Appeal
(PINA/IFEX) – Samoa’s Chief Justice has finally ruled that constitutional issues raised by the defence in the criminal libel trial of “Samoa Observer” publisher Savea Sano Malifa and his Samoan language editor, Fuimaono Fereti Tupua, will be referred to the Court of Appeal. The appeal court’s next sitting is scheduled for March 1998. **Updates IFEX […]
Hate letters to “Samoa Observer” traced to fax of top government official
(PINA/IFEX) – Unsigned hate letters to the “Samoa Observer” newspaper were sent from a fax registered under the name of the Secretary to the Prime Minister’s Department, the paper reported on 11 December 1997. The “Samoa Observer” said the letters were traced to a fax of Vaasatia Poloma Komiti, the senior public servant in the […]
Anti-independence leader pressures broadcasters
(PINA/IFEX) – The visiting head of the French overseas broadcasting service told staff in New Caledonia on 8 December 1997 that they will continue to be free to report without restrictions. Societe National de Radio Television Francaise D’Outre Mer (RFO) president Jean-Marie Cavada pledged that RFO journalists in the French Pacific territory would be protected. […]
Proposed Fiji media laws unlikely to include licensing, says minister
(PINA/IFEX) – Fiji’s Minister for Information says proposed new media laws in Fiji are unlikely to include licensing of news organisations or journalists. Seruwaia Hong Tiy said media licensing is not recommended by a report by two British consultants reviewing the laws and is not the current practice in Fiji. “The Cabinet sub-committee is still […]
“Samoa Observer” criminal libel trial delayed, costs grow
(PINA/IFEX) – The criminal libel trial of the publisher and Samoan language editor of the “Samoa Observer” newspaper has now been put back to 3 February 1998. In Apia on 3 December, Magistrate Tagaloa Enoka Puni adjourned the hearing again because Samoa’s Supreme Court had still not looked at the defence’s challenge that the criminal […]
Editors want inquiry into bribery claims
(PINA/IFEX) – Senior Papua New Guinea editors have called for an urgent inquiry into allegations that bribes have been paid to local journalists. It follows the showing on Australian television of a series of secretly taped videos in which a Papua New Guinea government minister appears to be given money to “pay off” the media. […]
Samoan government discusses closing down independent radio station
(PINA/IFEX) – The Samoan government has discussed closing down the country’s only independent radio station which runs news bulletins, a government Minister revealed. Health Minister Misa Telefoni Retzlaff disclosed the discussion about revoking the licence of Radio Polynesia 98FM in an open letter he wrote as part of an ongoing dispute he is having with […]