“YOU are not here as observers. You are here as participants and partners in shaping the future of our region,” said Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele.
Addressing 40 plus local and regional journalists at the opening of the Pacific Islands News Association-Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Regional Media Workshop on Friday, 5 September 2025, he highlighted the important role the media plays in keeping pacific islanders informed.
“The forum will debate strategies and frameworks, and our people will ask: what does this mean for me? for my family? for my community?” Manele said. “It is through your work that those answers will be found.”
The Prime Minister said that journalists are “key” to making regional policies meaningful for ordinary pacific Islanders.
“You will tell the stories and make these regional decisions meaningful for everyday Pacific lives,” he said. “Through your reporting, the messages of our leaders will reach communities, helping people understand the discussions and decisions that affect their lives.”
Manele urged the media to uphold ethics and balance in their reporting while covering one of the religion’s biggest gatherings.
“I urge you to also report and share your stories with balance and media ethics at their core,” he said.
Acknowledging that many Pacific newsrooms continue to face challenges, Manele praised journalists for their resilience spirit and commitment to their duties regardless
“We know you operate with limited resources in small newsrooms, often with complex topics. Yet, you continue to inform our communities, connect people to important discussions, and help ensure that the decisions of our leaders are understood and acted upon at home.”
The workshop aimed to familiarise journalists with PIF, its functions and various frameworks, keys to aid them in their reporting of the upcoming PIF Leaders Meeting.
MASI president Ofani Eremae was the lead facilitator at the training.
