PINA

The repeal of Fiji's draconian media law, known as the Media Industry Development Authority (MIDA) Act 2010, should act as a signpost for other Pacific countries who have regulated their media through legislation. And, the regional media body based in Fiji, the Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) is calling on other Pacific Governments to take their cue from Fiji's leadership. Fiji's...

Op-ed by Maureen Penjueli For now, the Pacific Island regionalism canoe has been fixed. The fracture of the region from the appointment of the Cook Islands' Henry Puna as Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum, over the Micronesian candidate, has been mended. Bringing to an end a short but turbulent period for Pacific regionalism since that infamous vote...

Fiji's 2010 Media Industry Development Act (MIDA) Act has been repealed by Parliament Friday despite fierce debate from the Opposition parliamentarians. While presenting the motion in Parliament on Monday pursuant to Standing Order 51, Fiji’s Attorney-General Siromi Turaga said the Bill to repeal the existing Media Industry Development Act (MIDA) 2010 meant that freedom of expression would be assured for...

By Nic Maclellan in Noumea A delegation from the Kanak independence movement Front de Libération Nationale Kanak et Socialiste (FLNKS) travels to Paris this week, for discussions with the French government on New Caledonia’s political status. The delegation, led by the President of New Caledonia’s Congress Roch Wamytan, is scheduled to hold discussions with French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne and...

The opposition in Kiribati wants answers from the government about the ongoing crisis in the country's judiciary. The government last year dismissed the chief justice and three Court of Appeal judges - all New Zealanders - while earlier it had tried to remove High Court judge, Australian David Lambourne. Opposition MP and the country's first president Sir Ieremia Tabai said the...

Fiji prime minister Sitiveni Rabuka is investigating claims by a senior Pacific leader that the Chinese government spied on him while he was visiting Fiji. In an exclusive interview with the ABC's The Pacific programme, Rabuka, who ended Frank Bainimarama's 16-year rule after winning the nation's December election, also weighed in on the future threats for the region, saying “survival”...

Representatives of the Fijian media have commenced work to revive the Fiji Media Council that was last operational prior to the promulgation of the 2010 Media Industry Development Authority Decree. The Fiji Media Council is a body made up of national media, government, and community representatives to handle complaints and media standards. The Council says they are guided by the industry...

The Fiji government reaffirms on Wednesday its opposition to Japan's plan to discharge nuclear-contaminated wastewater into the Pacific Ocean, saying that the region is not a dumping ground for countries like Japan to release its nuclear waste. While moving a motion regarding this in parliament on Wednesday, Fiji's Deputy Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica said that the Pacific Ocean should not...

The final report from the Multinational Observer Group (MOG) for the 2022 Fiji General Election has made 20 recommendations to the Government of Fiji on how to further improve the country’s electoral system, policies and legal framework. The report contains specific recommendations regarding the media environment, gender equality, and the participation of civil society including: reviewing guidelines and legislation to...

The first-ever Fiji Tuna Symposium, co-organised by the Ministry of Fisheries with the Conservation International Fiji, Fishing Industry Association, and World Wildlife Fund has successfully concluded with a wealth of common issues and opportunities outlined in a Partnership Statement that will guide further development of the Tuna Industry. The draft Partnership Statement is now in the development process with all...