the nekkid truth

IFJ Calls for Respect for Media as Reporters Attacked in Samoa

2009-05-23T14:37:00.000-07:00

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) calls for an immediate renewal of public respect for journalists and press freedom in the Pacific island state of Samoa after a spate of attacks on court reporters.

According to the Journalists’ Association of Western Samoa (JAWS), a camera operator and a news reporter were attacked while reporting on a high-profile trial of a church leader at Samoa’s Supreme Court in the capital, Apia, on March 24.

The media workers were reportedly chased away from the court entrance by members of the public attending the trial.

Two newspaper reporters were physically threatened at the court the following day, JAWS reported.

“JAWS calls upon the public to be mindful that a journalist reports not for his or her own sake but for the sake of our readers, listeners and audiences,” JAWS Secretary Cherelle Jackson said in a statement.

“By hindering the work of journalists, members of the public are inadvertently infringing upon the people’s right to know and be informed.”

The IFJ joins JAWS in calling for authorities in Samoa to provide additional protection to any media worker reporting on the remaining proceedings of the trial and on any matter of public interest.

“Court reporting is a necessary part of ensuring transparency in governance and justice in a democratic state,” IFJ Asia-Pacific Director Jacqueline Park said.

“It is the responsibility of the Samoan authorities to send a clear message to any person who attacks members of the media that their actions undermine this process and will not be tolerated.”

For further information contact IFJ Asia-Pacific on +612 9333 0919

The IFJ represents over 600,000 journalists in 120 countries worldwide
Samoa, Pacific, Press Releases, Asia and Pacific

Is culture a hindrance to progress?

2009-04-24T17:31:00.000-07:00

By Cherelle Jackson

During a recent visit back to Samoa, one of the family elders, in his 80s and losing a grip on our reality, made some decisions about the extended family home.
“Cut down all the trees in the front of the house, I want to see the cars on the road,” he proclaimed.
One, worn out chain saw, two machetes and four tired cousins later, his wish was granted, the trees were gone.
“Uproot all the grass from around the house and replace it with pebbles from the river,” he said on another visit.
Twenty or so tired hands and feet later, this order was also done.
“Dismantle the outside kitchen and move it a meter from where it is,” he said on another visit.
The untitled men and women moved before he finished the sentence.
The elderly relative holds a Chiefly Title, he is the second last remaining of his generation in our family, so all respect is owed to his wishes, regardless of how insane they are.
This, in essence is the Fa’aSamoa.
Our elders are the higher authority and what they say goes, regardless.
Because of this respect for our elderly relative, the family cannot really develop or progress in terms of landscaping or infrastructure as long as he has the last say.
This is a hindrance to small scale progress.

Progress
But what is progress?
Sometimes we misinterpret progress as becoming something we are not, but progress is just improving and developing on the existing, the present so that the future, in a sense is made easier.
Perhaps better to explain this concept is Ronald Wright, the author of A Short History of Progress who argues that our modern predicament is as old as civilization itself: a 10,000 year old experiment we have participated in but seldom controlled.
According to him the twentieth century was a time of runaway growth in human population, consumption, and technology that placed an unsustainable burden on all natural systems.
Interestingly he suggests that the twenty first century represents our last opportunity to succeed where our forefathers almost without exception have not.
Wright wrote: “We still have differing cultures and political systems, but at the economic level there is now only one big civilization, feeding on the whole planet’s natural capital. We’re logging everywhere, building everywhere, and no corner of the biosphere escapes our haemorrhage of waste. The twentyfold growth in world trade since the 1970s has meant that hardly anywhere is self-sufficient. Every Eldorado has been looted, every Shangri-La equipped with a Holiday Inn. Joseph Tainter notes this interdependence, warning that "collapse, if and when it comes again, will this time be global. ... World civilization will disintegrate as a whole." ”
A somewhat dark prediction.
But perhaps it is important to note this holistic view of progress before looking at our local situation in regards to the Fa’aSamoa.

Culture
So is our culture a hindrance, and will our civilization as we know it, disintegrate with the introduction or the unco ordination of progress?
Well only time will tell.
According to Abidjanov Alisher, writer of the essay The Human Person as Object and Subject of Culture
the problems of human existence and culture are becoming very important, especially now, in times of socio-economic transformation and political reform.
“The modern period is characterized by the transformation of nature, society and human personality, the struggle for peace and mutual understanding between states and people, and the common movement of humankind toward democracy and real humanism.”
Alisher says that building a new society in such young states such as Samoa means rebuilding the economy and the complex of social relations and human consciousness.
“The deep transformation in economic, political and spiritual life is founded on common cultural values and ideals,” he wrote.
This is true for Samoa, but how can progress occur for our people in the face of some archaic cultural beliefs?

Compromise
During a UNAIDS press conference recently, regional experts spoke about the study of HIV/AIDS in the Pacific and its status in the region.
According to them there are challenges, the usual, especially in regards to surveillance, counselling and awareness involved in the study of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs).
Asked if culture was a hindrance to their work, Warren Lindberg, a member of the Commission on AIDS in the Pacific said something very interesting.
“I don’t think that we should ever say that culture is a hindrance. It doesn’t matter what health issue you are trying to address, the way in we look after our health is part of our culture. Every culture has ways of looking after its health and what we are looking for is synergy between the issues we face in HIV/AIDs and the culture of each place,” Lindberg said.
The statement encompassed progress and cultural consideration that is overlooked in a bid for development.
Perhaps the answer lies in a compromise between culture and progress, that progress can occur perhaps with the assistance of cultural values.
For like anything, it is stronger and more effective when it comes from within, if the culture sees a value in progress, of any type, then surely it will occur.
Samoa however has done this well, just listen to the words of former Deputy New Zealand High Commissioner to Samoa Malcolm Millar who said: “I have never seen a place which manages a perfect blend traditional life with modernity and development.”
Perhaps we are doing it right after all.

Does Samoa need more women matai?

2009-04-24T17:27:00.000-07:00

Written by Cherelle Jackson

Is it because men matais are making a fine mess of things?

Six pretty brave members of the Samoan community are debating on the issue: Samoa needs more women matais, today at the SamoaTel conference room.
So does Samoa need more women matais?
How about this, some men matais are making a grand mess of things, maybe we do need more women matais.
As a woman of course my answer would be yes.
When it comes to issues of gender, this writer will gladly flag objectivity for the right to speak freely on issues of our side, so to speak.
The only other Editorial writers in this country are all male, which leaves this lone writer to defend with a fierce pride the rights of women in this country.
The Samoan culture is not exactly kind to the rights of women, if anything women are second best, second part, behind part and all else second when it comes to the great Fa’aSamoa, without seeming critical however of our culture, there are reasons for such obvious discriminatory cultural norms.
But unfortunate for the terms faletua and itupa vaivai this is the day and age of equality, and placing one in the back room due to gender, is no longer the ways of the world.

Equality and Culture
The culture has consistently placed women in the lower face value as men, as a result some villages have banned women from assuming matai titles.
The ban itself is discrimination at the highest level, why just because someone was born with breasts does not make them any less than one born with a muscular chest.
Judgement based on such factors are shallow and reflect poorly on the men who make and adhere to such decisions.
Whatever happened to merit and judgement based on intelligence?
Currently there are registered 12031 male matais and 3016 female matais who are noted as ‘Active Matai’ according to the most recent Census survey.
That is a tremendous difference, the number itself indicates a wide gap that needs a bit more than the average gender filling.

Access to Leadership
Arguing for the rights of women to hold matai titles, is not just an argument on equality, yes of course its nice, but the underlying issue is the accessibility of women to leadership roles that can only be afforded with a matai title.
If a full blood Samoa woman who lives in a village that prohibits women matais, aspires to be a member of Parliament, she may as well invest in a sex change, because unless the village changes the rules, which is near impossible, and unless Samoa somehow revisits the prerequisites for Parliamentary entry, which if recent slow changes speak for anything is also impossible, then the woman will never stand a chance of becoming a Member of Parliament or a Cabinet Minister.
Currently the three women Cabinet Ministers are living proof that women can be leaders and darn good ones at that.
Hon. Safuneituuga Paaga Neri, Hon. Gatoloaifaana Amataga Gidlow and Hon. Fiame Naomi Mataafa thank you for being testament to the strength of women as leaders.

The vital role
Women play a vital role in our society, said to be the peace makers, women tend to be that voice of reason, voice of peace when it comes to family affairs, village affairs and sometimes on the national scale.
But do not be fooled, only the right women do, no gender is perfect and ours will attest to that.
But here’s the deal, if men have full access to becoming matais, to becoming Members of Parliament, Cabinet Ministers and Leaders, then shouldn’t women have the same chances too?
Was not the first person who held four Paramount titles combined a woman?
Salamasina would probably turn in her grave and rip her beautiful hair if she knew that some centuries down the line her people were denying those of her gender access to matai titles.
But of course due respect goes to her grandmother Sooaemalelagi who was the true power behind the reign of Salamasina.
The truth remains, womens rights to leadership, education and health services should not be hindered by the fact that they are women!

International Womens Day
Today Samoa will celebrate International Womens Day, although it is marked on the 8th a group of local women have decided to honour it with the rest of the world today, on the 7th.
According to the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) International Women’s Day (8 March) is an occasion to acknowledge the contribution of women to the strengthening of international peace and security.
It is a day when people are encouraged to recognise that securing peace and social progress and the full enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms requires the active participation, equality and development of women.
It is also an occasion to review progress in women’s development as well as an opportunity to unite, network and mobilise for meaningful change.

Today
So today, wherever you are whoever you are and whatever gender you are, think about the women in your lives, the mothers, sisters, daughters, aunties and friends and how they have contributed to your life.
Have a great International Womens Day Samoa!

Manuia le Aso

What else is dropping?

2009-04-24T17:26:00.000-07:00

Written by Cherelle Jackson

A close relative turned 65 recently, and the prospect of cashing out her miniscule $100.00 monthly pension, is not exactly appealing.
Frankly speaking, the amount is pathetic!
If she lived off only that amount she would either die of starvation, or drown in the floods because she wouldn’t afford a retirement home, better yet she would probably have a heart attack at the mere sight of the tiny little cheque.
So while the US pensioners may be temporarily suffering from the impacts of the sub prime crisis, our own pensioners have long suffered the pathetic-pension-crisis, as a result of the ignorance and arrogance of our superannuation scheme, or the dramatic lack thereof.
Can you imagine, working for more than forty, or even fifty years for your country you profess to adore, and then on your 65th birthday all you get for your sweat, blood and tears, is a $100.00 cheque and free ferry rides to Savaii.
Come on, if that is not injustice, then what is?
Ok, not the free ferry rides bit, because it’s actually a nice perk, and frankly, I think we should all get free ferry rides to Savaii, if the old folks that frequent the boats speak for anything, its that they use it to the max.
But, now one would have to understand why some families keep cashing out the pension cheque even after the pensioner had peacefully passed months, even years prior.
Perhaps its sweet revenge, but then again it’s simply fraud the Samoan style.
So while the state of pension scheme keeps dropping other economic features have but continued down that ever popular financial decline simply known as deficit.
Generally when economic statisticians use the term “drop”, it doesn’t mean much until the indicator is noted.
Now a drop in interest rates, fuel prices and controlled commodity prices may be nice to hear, and a welcome statistic, but a drop in the supply of an on demand commodity, tourism arrivals and exports, well that’s not exactly a desirable statistic.
The Economic Performance reports by the Central Bank of Samoa for the last few months bring Samoas latest economic “droppings” into perspective.
Samoas economy is predicted to slow down this year like the rest of the region according to the World Bank.
So while the business community is up in arms about the possible switch, the economy is taking a turn for the worse.
In the Economic Performance report released in January by CBS, tourism arrivals decreased, private remittances decreased, balance of payments recorded and overall deficit, and to top it of the merchandise deficit increased.
Charming picture of Samoa!
The regional ANZ Quarterly Report predicts a slowdown in the Samoan economy this year, but this is no surprise, the same trends were noted by the World Bank in the Global Economic Prospects 2008 (GEP 2008).
Agricultural food supplies, according to the Central Bank’s survey of the Fugalei Market in December 2007, recorded an 18 percent drop.
The reduction in the overall volume was due to decreased supplies of taro, banana, taro palagi, coconut, breadfruit, yam, chinese cabbage, cucumber and pumpkin. Farmers blamed wet weather conditions for the drop.
So while economic performance is at a slowdown, the prices of commodities are rising and to add salt to the wound, fuel prices are running high with the cost of electricity.
It’s not an easy time for us on the islands.
So while each working Samoan is faithfully paying their taxes and contributing to the Samoan economy, they neither have too much of a say in Government spending nor do they directly benefit from their own hard earned cash at the later days of their lives.
One can only hope for a recovering economy which will in turn make the lives of Samoans easier even if just through the decrease in the price of taro, rice or even tinned fish.
In moments like these, subsistence economy is looking pretty appealing.

How blissful is ignorance?

2009-04-24T17:25:00.001-07:00

Written by Cherelle Jackson

Ignorance is a very strong word, when one thinks of this word, it’s easy to misinterpret it as lacking intelligence, but the real meaning is lacking proper knowledge, it is essentially not a bad thing.
‘Ignoring’ however, well it’s a whole different concept altogether, it is when proper knowledge is deliberately disregarded for the benefit of the ‘ignorer.’
To understand that, is to truly appreciate the saying: “Ignorance is bliss” because if you will yourself enough to believe that a problem does not exist, then you really don’t have to worry about it, therefore you could be much happier.
That furthermore explains the saying that: “what you don’t know won’t necessarily hurt you.”
Now that this writer has successfully bored you enough with an attempt at deciphering these clichés here is the real point of the ramble.
About five years ago, some New Zealand researchers came up with some tremendous statistics which suggested that Samoan women were not really affected by post natal depression.
Simply put, Samoan women did not suffer from emotional issues after the birth of a baby.
In the words of one hilarious English fellow, “it’s all bollocks.” This is simply not true.
It’s not that the condition did not exist, it’s that the women who were interviewed did not know what post natal depression was.
The same goes for Sexually Transmitted Diseases and teen aged pregnancies in Samoa.
As long as some parents refuse to accept that their sons and daughters may be engaging in sexual activity, their children are refused access to contraceptive methods.
So as long as they ignore the situation, it might just go away.
News flash, it won’t.
So when the representative of WHO expressed his sheer discontent at the way in which Samoa is approaching the typhoid issue, well, one can’t help but empathize with his position.
But the Ministry of Health has ensured Newsline that they are not ignoring the problem but rather approaching if from the basics.
One (as in ‘me’) can’t help but note that the problem has persisted for months, if not years, without much change in the consistency of cases.
So it is then fair to say that although admittedly there are actions to curb it, the problem is possibly being ignored on a larger scale.
Come on, when the World Health Organization representative is worried, shouldn’t we?
It’s like ignoring depression in the midst of recession, but let’s not get into that.
The fact is, there is a problem and something needs to be done about it, because leaving the situation as is, as history has only proven, will not make the problem go away.
Perhaps the strategy taken here is less then admirable.
The strategy being, if the people don’t know then the people will not complain, and well, the problem will not be obvious.
Noam Chomsky, a 21st century Philosopher argued in his book Media Control that if people were deliberately kept in the dark, they would be easier to control, which naturally meant that those in the know inadvertently impose ‘ignorance’ on those they were meant to inform.
This theory is too easy to implement in Samoa especially when it comes to issues that require a bit more than the village hut gossip or even the sweet nothings of evening rendezvous.
To influence Samoans, far more sophisticated avenues of influence are necessary, through mass media campaign, grassroots consultation, high level discussions and ultimately the mobilization of all relevant stakeholders to actually make an impact, especially the local and the church communities.
So in the end its not the concept itself that harms but those who impose it.
And yes Socrates was right: “There is only one good, knowledge, and one evil, ignorance.”

Please, not the bread!

2009-04-24T17:18:00.000-07:00

Written by Cherelle Jackson

My brother was sourly disappointed when he discovered that the price of bread has increased by 30sene.
“Anything but the bread,” he said in a resigned and dissatisfied tone.
With three children, his wife and two student boarders, every sene counts in his weekly budget.
So this editorial will once again focus on the issue of basic economics with a slight twist on the ironies of societal attitudes towards this issue.
Coincidentally a Newsline potential columnist confessed that there’s too much serious writing in this country.
“It’s all heavy, and very serious,” the writer said.
Good point, perhaps we are.
We have indeed focused on the heavy as of late, but who wouldn’t, with the current sorry state of affairs, who can help but write profusely if not angrily on hard hitting issues of today.
So instead of defying what the potential columnist has said, this writer will merely affirm it.
Something smells utterly rotten in the State of Samoa, and as one American cousin would say: “There ain’t nothin’ we can do about it.”
As the economy slides into a state of unrelenting failure our leaders are bickering over who should stay and who should go, the business community are not going down the Right Hand Drive debate without a fight, the bankers are not exactly reveling in profits meanwhile the Samoan people are paying for it, one sene at a time.
Samoas economy is falling flat on its face, and the only obvious attempts so far have been but to stamp it further to the ground.
In a report by the Central Bank of Samoa, the update of November 2007, a month after the RHD switch was announced, the report saw the graceful decline of economic indicators to figures avoided by many an economically healthy nations.
In that month, trade deficit increased, export earnings declined, imports rose, crude oil prices soared and tourism earnings dropped.
This is what college students learn in “what not to do to ones developing economy.”
So it is no surprise that the price of bread, the one food product that has for the longest time remained the fallback feed for low income families, has taken a hit from economic misdemeanors at the national level.
The economy is stagnant, while we await the end result to the debate of the century, the RHD.
If the cost of basic food products has increased, and the wages remain unchanged, naturally the people will have to turn elsewhere to feed their families and to survive the next day.
Samoa has gone back to the basics, we have reinvented the “survival of the fittest” debate, unwillingly so.
Samoas reliance on remittances have dropped, which means that in the last few years Samoans have harnessed a sense of self reliance that does not mirror our national efforts at being truly independent.
The Police last week indicated dismay at the growing number of drugs on the streets of Samoa, the sale, distribution and use of marijuana is rife, meanwhile theft is also progressively climbing especially around the town area, and prostitution is no longer a hidden profession while young street vendors continue to crowd the streets of Apia at nightfall.
All of these habits are fast and easy money for the low to no income families.
Some are willing to forsake morality to feed their families.
Are they to be blamed?
What systems are there in place in this country to ensure that everyone has the right to education, to an income and to quality of life?
Are we to turn to the state?
All these factors play in a much wider, much bigger picture of where Samoa is heading.
If nothing is done soon, prices will keep rising, the quality of living will decline, crimes will rise and the people who are suffering will keep suffering.
The gap between the financially rich and poor will only expand.
The increase in the price of bread is a pretty accurate indicator of this trend.
But knowing the recent responses by the Government this writer is certain that if asked about the price of bread, the answer will probably be similar to that offered by France’s iconic but ill-fated queen, Marie Antoinette: “If they have no bread, then let them eat cake.”
Manuia le Aso Sa Samoa

virtual christmas card

2008-12-24T13:09:00.000-08:00

image courtesy of STA.

this is who i work for now

2008-11-04T17:13:00.000-08:00

impending departure of print journalism

2008-09-02T20:53:00.000-07:00

of course we print journos may all fear the demise of our industry what with the growing urge and practice of online journalism taking the focus away from print, it is an inevitable truth that we must all come to face. print journalism is quick fading.
its now the day an age of blackberry, ipods and cam corders, no more notepads or inky pens in pockets for old-skool journos as we are now called.
the fairfax fuckwit redundancies in aussie last week is a kind reminder of this fact, as the online journalism takes over, our print generation will face an impending doom which will probably only be preserved in computer chips as scanned copies of the once well read and passed around newspaper.
but it is not such a bad thing, the mere existence of this blog is a suggestion that i too have betrayed my original commitment and loyalty to pure print journalism. we are after all in a day and age of virtual reality where even the average citizen can become a journalist from the comfort or discomfort of their own homes.
perhaps the hope of journalism lies in the essence of the practice, that of verification and the observance of j-ethics!

word up!

cj

should i marry a speller?

2008-03-14T20:04:00.000-07:00

Someone whom I consider my mentor told me recently that I should consider marrying a speller. What he was indicating of course, without seeming too offensive was that absolutely sucked at spelling, I'm certain he meant it in the nicest possible way :)

Fact is, he is not the first person to suggest if not blatantly point out this weakness is my literary abilities (or inabilities:) but the question is, if I marry a speller, would that make me a good one? According to him, at least then theres someone who can read through my final copy before its sent to the Editor :) .. good point! So while I go out to look for a speller to marry, I am goign to cotninue to mipsell a tol of waht i wirte frm hree on :) hehehe... that felt good!

All in a days work

Today I woke up to a phone call from a Diplomatic representative to Samoa, no names mentioned here, but the person wanted to clarify a comment made yesterday during an interview. I wonder if they sleapt well just thinking of the comment, thankfully I did not take note and therefore did not use it in the article I wrote, phew, that saved me some stress.

Two days ago I woke up to a well known business man on the phone, he said there were no pests in his house, apparantly one of my reporters wrote a story indicating there was a certain invasive species in his home. Poor man called and said that the Quarantine was searching his premises because of the article written by our reporter... oops, but in our defence, his name was brought forward by quarantine, so I explained it nicely to him, that we didn't make any of the shit up :)
About two weeks ago I received a call from a close relative, she was pissed off that we had published the name of her son who was charged for posession of narcotics. I felt like saying, dude, its not like a I put the freaking joint in his bag, he knowingly put it there himself. But such is the love of a mother, it sees no boundaries at times, I tottally understood why she scolded me the Editor instead of her son :)

A car pulled up outside and a young gentleman walked into the building, he wanted to buy a copy of Newsline today. I told our reporter to give him a copy for free as I was certain it cost him more to drive here than to buy the actual paper, but as the car pulled out, I noticed that it belonged to a Government body that received bad reviews in our Service Reviewer. Chances are the CEO sent the special vehicle to hunt down the paper so they could see what rave reviews they received, ah well, its all in the name of transparency, I hope in some way it does improve the service in this country.

I went to get some information from the owner of the new lingerie store in town, and while I was at it I enquired about a few other things .The owner said, well, as opposed to popular belief, Samoan women do like to wear G-strings. "Really theres a few women who come in, of all sizes requesting Gs," the owner said. I felt like asking if men come in for male Gs as well... chooo hooo.. that would have been something.

Debating th stupid hand drive

2007-12-15T22:48:00.001-08:00

By Cherelle Jackson

APIA- The debate on the Right Hand Drive (RHD) was yesterday renamed by the Prime Minister of Samoa, Hon. Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi as the Correct Hand Drive.
During a Press Conference on the issue, Tuilaepa referred to the current left hand drive that Samoans are using as stupid hand drive.
“If you think about it, we refer to the right hand as the smart hand, and the left as the stupid one, currently Samoans are changing gears with the smart hand, the right and driving with their stupid hand, the left,” he said.
According to the Prime Minister, switching from left to right is therefore the logical choice.
“Things would finally be put right if we switch to using the right hand, or the correct one,” he said.
His explanation comes after criticisms from various respectable members of the community accusing the current Government of dictatorial leadership by imposing changes that are not necessarily endorsed by members of the public.
The debate which has been raging in the past few weeks is intriguing to say the least.
For the first time, some who previously supported the Government are standing up and voicing their objections to the possible change in legislation.
“The world is moving forward and we are looking way ahead of us,” Tuilaepa said yesterday.
But the community thinks otherwise, and as the Chamber of Commerce and NGO submission made clear last month, it would cost Samoa to change then to remain in the left hand drive.
Six leaders of local organizations who represent more then fifty associations, professional bodies, civil societies, non governmental organizations and businesses, with a collective membership of more then 10,000 people drafted a submission to Government expressing their dismay at the sudden change.
“On behalf of our members, we write to formally record that we do not support Governments proposal to change from left hand drive to right hand drive and respectfully seek your reconsideration of the Government decision,” the submission stated.
“Government’s decision is likely to have substantially negative effects through the underlying message it sends to people. At a time when Samoa has been independent for 45 years, and will be graduating from its least developed country status in three years time, the policy signals Governments continuing dependency on aid handouts from donors and promotes continuing dependency by our own people on families overseas.”
The projected write off value for vehicles if the change goes through amounts to close to $300million tala, but that is the minimum estimation according to the submission committee.
Tuilaepa however insists that this is the best decision for Samoa.
“The switch to RHD will make vehicles more accessible to the people in the rural areas, it means their relatives can buy them cars and send them back to Samoa from New Zealand,” he said.
Tuilaepa said the comparative import outlined in the submission by the Chamber and NGOs are merely for the sake of business owners.
The submission clearly indicated that the importation of vehicles from New Zealand or Australia will by far be more expensive then the current importation from America, Japan and other further destinations.
By the end of the Press Conference yesterday, Tuilaepa had linked the switch from left hand drive to climate change.
According to him, if more people in the rural areas have vehicles, it makes it easier for them to move inland therefore saving them from the rising sea levels and ultimately from the impacts of climate change.
Far fetched perhaps, but an intriguing link nonetheless.
Asked as to the difference between driving up the hill in a left hand drive or a right hand drive he said: “Well more people in the rural areas can get access to right hand drive because of their relatives in New Zealand.”
This Friday will see members of the public gather to express their views on the issue, it will make for a fascinating debate.
This will be an interesting test for the Samoan people, how vocal will they be, and how passionate are Samoans to impose the changes they wish to see?
According to Asiata Saleimoa Vaai, current Member of Parliament and Leader of Samoa Democratic United Party, Samoans need to make their voices heard.
“The apathy of our people has lead the Government to make decisions without their approval,” Asiata said.
If the right hand drive goes forward without the approval of the people, what does this mean for Samoa?
We are currently being hailed internationally as the shining star of the Pacific in terms of stability and good governance.
Indeed this issue will put the shining star to the test, what will prevail in the end will determine the fate of our good governance status.
Tuilaepa reminded the media yesterday that he has won an award for his efforts in transparency, accountability and good governance.
This will be a good test for that award.

Samoans to take to the streets

2007-12-15T22:27:00.000-08:00

APIA - More than 10,000 Samoans are expected to take to the streets of Apia in a protest march against the proposed switch to right hand drive (RHD) by the Government of Samoa.
The march will be the climax of a massive anti RHD campaign by members of the public since Government proposed the changer in October.
International media are expected to attend the event which some say will shake the nation.
Spearheading the protests against RHD is prominent Samoan Lawyer Toailoa Toleafoa Toailoa.
The mass campaign visibly started two weeks ago, when Toailoa called a public meeting, urging every Samoan opposed to the switch to make their voices heard.
Hundreds of community leaders, business owners, former politicians and car owners attended the gathering which sounded more and more like angry mob after a few passionate arguments by local elders.
Since then hundreds of stickers branded ‘No to RHD’ have been distributed and are plastered on vehicles all over Samoa.
T-shirts with the same slogan are also being worn by members of the public on a daily basis.
Petitions are being signed by hundreds on the streets also opposing the switch.
A media campaign on television, radio and newsprint sponsored by the peoples committee against the switch is also well underway.
The protest march on Monday is expected to start at 8:30am, from the Government building in the center of Apia, to the Parliament building at Tiafau.
The notion to march was put forth at the public meeting after exhausting all other methods to be heard by the Government.
One disgruntled chief from Savaii stood up and said: “Lets stop Parliament from meeting on this issue.”
The protest will march to the Parliament building where Members of Parliament including Cabinet members will be meeting at 9:00am on the same morning.
Those opposed to RHD have been called on to wear white tops or shirts as a sign of peace on the day of the protest march.
Bus drivers, taxi drivers and private vehicle owners are also being urged by the committed against RHD to give priority to members of the public who will attend the march.
The protest march will be the first sign of social unrest in Samoa, signaling an official end to the “pin up star” image we previously held in the region.

the importance of being earnest

2007-12-06T01:52:00.001-08:00

I have been lucky in my life, to be given so many opportunities to improve my skills as a journalist and to sharpen my gender lenses. I used to think, in my own arrogant-know-it-all-teenage-mind, that my strength was in what I knew, but really my real strength is in the type of people I know. For instance, I know some great minds who have nurtured mine and made it open and understanding, without the positivity around me I would not have harnessed my own sense of optimism.

2007-12-06T01:52:00.000-08:00

gonna be home soon

2007-11-22T18:38:00.000-08:00

Boy its been a while! Since my last entry I have travelled to five countries and have not spent more then six days in one locations. Exciting but tiring. The journey has been amazing. I miss being home though.

The era of self loathing

2007-11-02T21:09:00.000-07:00

A review of the Australian newsprint media as published in Newsline Samoa Newspaper

By Cherelle Jackson*

Never before in the history of Australian media have there been so much criticism and examination of the fourth estate until now.
The makers of the news have officially arrived at an era of self loathing, which may as well be a sign of a healthy media.
Australian Journalists, at least the senior ones have come to realize the media industries misdemeanors and misguided attempts at journalistic superiority at the expense of quality and integrity in the news media.
TV Shows, websites, books and columns have been solely established to examine the media and makers of the news themselves.
Media Watch, an Australian Broadcasting Corporations (ABC) programme that presents a critical analysis of specific media has become one of the most watched shows in Australia which therefore shows, that even the consumers of the media are concerned about what they are receiving.
At a time when news is shaping peoples perception and influencing the direction of Australian politics, it is daunting to see that news as we know it has taken the backseat to the opinions of Journalists, Editors and media owners.

Generation Journalism ‘I’
More and more it is the writer not the story that defines the importance of the news.
The “I think” line has taken precedence over the “According to” and the bolded byline has certainly overshadowed the value of a headline.
The Age, the highest selling broadsheet newspaper in Melbourne and one of the more influential publications have easily featured opinion pieces on the front page to complement a news item.
“Gone are the times when we were just news reporters, now we are journalists who actually have something to say, we don’t have the right to do this, we are supposed to report, not to have an opinion,” said a former Herald Sun Editor.
Unsurprisingly it is the veterans of Australian Journalism who are leading the campaign against the self obsessed media and not necessarily the disgruntled media consumers themselves.
In his much talked about book ‘The media we deserve’ senior Journalist and former Executive Producer of Media Watch, Mr. David Salter offers an all too true expression: “But occasionally it strikes me that the media trying to examine its own failings is as pointless as a dog chasing its tail.”
But there is value in self criticism; the Australian media remains admirably liberal and comprehensive in content despite’ its shortcomings.

Sensationalism, a common affliction
In addition to the Journalism generation ‘I’ the Australian newsprint media has also been afflicted with the mainstream ailment of sensational reporting.
The ‘shame, shock, sham’ stream headliners are an all too familiar occurrence in daily newsprint media, but not all.
The fact that the Herald Sun in Melbourne is one if not the highest selling newsprint media in all of Australia does reflect that media consumers do have a preference for the sensational, thus the domino effect on the otherwise conservative media.
But there is hope yet, the only national newspaper, The Australian has proven solid in its representation of national issues and The Australian Financial Review, committed to the unfailing coverage of business, finance and economics issues without the embarrassing journalistic frills.
The two newspapers are widely read by corporate Australians, whose preference and a straight forward and specialized approach to news has given journalism integrity hope of survival.
It is understandable however to see the involuntary if not exquisitely planned stray of broadsheet and tabloid media to sensationalism, succumbing once again to the drive for readership over quality.
This mass turn towards cheap and easy to read product has undoubtedly made news accessible to the less-demanding media consumer.
Gideon Haigh, Journalist, author and one of Australias most vocal critics of current journalism said: “I open the modern newspaper with a sense of dismay. I find a media culture which places a high premium on excitement, controversy and sentimentality, in which information takes second place to the opinions it arouses.”
Still, such are the ways of mainstream media, and as long as the Australian media consumer prefers the sensational over quality in their newsprint consumption, then that is what they will be given, and as long as the industry wants to survive it will serve the hand that feeds it.

Media bickering
Haigh however argues that the relation between journalism generation ‘I’ and decline in readership quality says otherwise: “As we have risen in our own estimation, so have we diminished in the public’s, thinking of ourselves as chiefly answerable to one another rather than to our readers and viewers, like a military junta whose generals rejoice in pinning medals on one another’s chests.”
But self obsession and sensationalism are not the only challenges facing the Australian media.
With the bulk of newsprint owned by two, Murdoch and Fairfax, the industry has become like an old married couple going through a very messy divorce.
It’s a love to hate relationship dominated by the usual martyrs of the fourth estate, the spine climbing journalist, the egotistical editor and the ignorant reader.
That being said, Australian media are definitely not above belittling each other, perhaps this is a universal trait in the media industry.
Uncertainty however tends to bring out the worse in people, and at a turning point in the universal concept of Journalism, it has taken its toll on Australias thriving media.

Convergent Journalism
The threat is the gradual acceptance of convergent journalism, which is the integration of multimedia skills into daily news gathering.
Convergent journalism is the oil in developmental approach to makers of the news.
This modern reconstruction of journalism will inevitably transform the face of news media globally.
Convergent journalism is threatening the mere existent of traditional pen and paper approach replaced by digital recorder, camera, video camera and the ever present laptop.
If impressions of the past two months are accurate then newsprint journalists are a dying breed, convergent journalists however have a better chance of survival than any other in the industry.
Fairfax, the other half of the Australian media industry is investing big dollars to turn their newsprint empires into online text, video and audio streaming for the sake of the internet news addict.
News Limited although their heart is in the right place in trying to achieve a remarkable web presence, have failed miserably in some of their attempts.
Traditional pen and paper journalists who resist this unavoidable move towards virtual news will face difficulties to remain in the media industry.
Online news companies such as www.crikey.com which recently sold for millions is justification that indeed the future lies in the world wide web.
Another proof is the Eureka Report at www.eurekareport.com serves specialized audience with business, economic and financial news on a weekley subscription only online service.
It is one of the fastest growing service of its type in Australia.

The integrity challenge
But thankfully for the traditional journalist, the internet has not entirely taken over yet.
Newsprint is still preferred by a bulk of readers and advertisers would rather sell to the paper edition then online edition, and as any switched on editor will tell you, that’s where the true bread of journalism lies, so the newsprint editions will remains for a very long time to come.
Overall the Australian newsprint media is a robust representation of the fourth estate in the region.
Like other industries the media faces the same challenge, it is not country specific.
Media ownership is pivotal to freedom of expression, journalism integrity is a constant battle, and editorial influences plague the common newsroom.
These problems persist in the face of developmental journalism and the emerging preference of the convergant journalist.
Hope is in the hands of current Editors, Journalists and Media Owners whose interests and values are reflected on the pages read by millions daily.
The media like its consumers are fickle in its attention, each day presents a new issue, headline and campaign, but the overarching goal is the successful relay of information, and if that is media freedom, if that is indeed journalism integrity and if that is the determinant of quality media, then the Australian media certainly encompasses all those integral characteristics.

*The writer was a recipient of an AusAID Australian Leadership Award in journalism for her role as Editor of Newsline. She participated in a six week working fellowship on Reporting Economic Affairs in Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra coordinated by the Asia Pacific Journalism Center. She was attached to the Australian Financial Review.
During the fellowship she met the Editor of The Age, the Editor at Large of Canberra Times, the Opinion Editor of the Australian Financial Review and the Business Editor of The Australian.
Opinions expressed in this piece are solely of the author based observation, dialogue and research and does not reflect the views of the fellowship sponsor or coordinators. Photographs were taken by the author.

back at one

2007-10-29T20:48:00.000-07:00

I'm now back at home! I ran out of room on my passport for more stamps :( fark.. didnt even envision that so now I have to apply for a new one before i leave friday morning :(

nz mediaocre

2007-10-24T03:10:00.000-07:00

I am now in NZ been here for a few days now, good to see different media. New mastheads, different dickheads on tv, different crap on the radio, overall whole new experience. I must admit I am a bit biased, I have a general preference for NZ media, somehow they do acknowledge that indeed their are people in the vast Pacific ocean, on the islands i mean :)

Todays NZ Herald frontpage was about the Kyoto Protocol and NZ commitment to ratification by 2012 instead of 2020, an awesome frontpager... quite considerate.. i dont think any aussie paper wouldve put the same story on the front page, but then again the priorities differ greatly between the two countries. I have to issue a lil' disclaimer here, obviously i would praise NZherald cause i do work for them :) but cumon man i have to pay a complement where its due.. chooo hoooo.

What i was impressed with however was NZ Heralds tight and controlled web presence, you cannot copy the NZH masthead from anywhere on the web... amazing stuff!

I must admit though that despite NZ media being a pretty solid pack it does play victim to the occassional sensational headliner and story angle... ah but what is mainstream without superficial prostitution of ideas.

The 'I' in journalism however is not so apparant here as in aussie, where every story is about the freaking writer and not the story itself.. i appreciate that!

[image: www.journalistopia.com]

canberra and the times

2007-10-12T00:33:00.000-07:00

Ill have to make this quick because some asian woman is literally trying to push me off the farkin computer, like cant you see that im typing something really urgent and checking my bebo, hello :)
I am now in Canberra and in the final stages of the fellowship. Yesterday we visited the AUstralian Press Club, the High Court and a few museums, including the National Museum. Interesting places.
Today we paid the Canberra Times a visit, and that was somewhat cool, to say the least, as in to say a lil' as possible. The newsroom was small for a headquarter, but he printing press is one to die for. THe circulation of the paper is at a grand seventy thousand, the population of canberra being at 300,000 thats pretty cool. Well i better stop here and finish at another time :(

This is todays frontpage of Canberra times, this Cousins fella should have seen it coming! Such a fool!

globalisation, regionalism and localisation aka. big countries rule

2007-10-05T01:17:00.000-07:00

This is a very broad look at globalisation, regionalism and localisation, it only scratches at the surface of these three concepts and movements.

Personally although I agree that globalisation can act as an inspiration for change, I feel that small nations such as Samoa stand to lose much economically, environmentally and socially if they are not fully aware of the implications of such agreements as WTO and the Pacific Plan.

Although noble in aim, I feel this is just one way for developed countries to take advantage of the little man, so to speak.

This is indeed a very interesting time to be a Journalist in the Pacific region, it is a defining moment in the history of the world, we are indeed living in a neoliberal era, yet in the Pacific we are also fighting remnants of the colonial era masked as ‘development’ delivered through sexy terminologies such as transparency, accountability and good governance.Is globalisation then just a form of neocolonialism?If you think about it globalization is in a sense colonialism with consent.

Regionalism itself although self motivated has become obligatory.

It makes me wonder, not just as a Journalist but as a citizen of the world, are we becoming closer through the implementation of globalisation or is it further pushing nations apart as the competition becomes fierce and ugly?

Who loses out in the end?

I do find it ironic that globalisation a development tool and one that encourages interdependence attacks the just value that has guaranteed progress, democracy.
Globalisation compromises democracy by distorting autonomy and the sovereignty of a nation as they are bulked into regionalism and later globalization.

Is this progress?Is it development if we achieve global success at the expense of our national identities?

I personally do not think so, as a proud Samoan I feel that our culture, our society and the way we do things separate us from the rest of the world.

Economic progress should never be declared at the regress of society or culture.But is this not the inevitable?

Is this a fate that we must accept in order to be part of the world?Perhaps, but as long as we are true to ourselves, maintain our values and tamper only with the periphery we can somehow find a balance, embrace regionalism and globalisation yet still be unique.

In the words of The Alchemist author Paolo Coelho: “It we fulfil our personal legends we are contributing to the soul of the world.” [extracted from a paper i wrote for the fellowship]

coffee cups and fear of numbers

2007-10-05T00:54:00.000-07:00

I'm now sitting in my small dormitory room at Sunbury Halls, trying to recover from two weeks of full on studying, writing, talking, observing, sharing and trying to get sleep in between all of those. The room is a big mess, teacups everywhere, newspapers strewn on the floor, cameras with dying batteries abandoned in a moment of rush, thoughts scattered and ideas in a mess but unseen in the room.

Ive got a massive headache but theres nothing i can do about it, i can't sleep because theres too much noise, i cant really eat cause theres nothing to eat and i certainly do not want to go for a walk cause its too blumin cold outside :(

I learnt this week that i will be working at the Australian Financial Review for a few days as part of the journalism fellowship, i'm looking forward to it, not everyday cherelle permits herself to see numbers in sequence, i think im finally lifting up that curtain that long time ago i pulled down on maths.. although technically this is not maths, its economics and i can do economics any day :) anyhow so this should be good. well best get off this thing and check my bebo account :) yes the busy life of a journalist :)

foot in my mouth disease

2007-10-04T19:50:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I swear I am plagued with the foot in mouth disease :) in that I constantly put my foot in my mouth without intending to do so, metaphorically speaking of course! Last night one of my foot in mouth situations was at the table with all the fellows, coordinators and trainers I said to the chairman of apjc: "Your wife is very tall." He said: "Yes she is." everyone nodded their heads in agreement with my sentiment then ms jackson went on to say: "So how was it in the begining?" It was one of those moments, blonde moments when my need to know how he felt being a short man being seen with a much taller woman really came out as me wondering about the poor mans sex life... hehe... chooo hooo.

Lastnight I had what has been described by my boss as a 'literary diahhorea' whereby i sat down to write on a topic and everything just poured onto the pages and the next thing you know i had written twenty pages worth of critique on globalisation, it was awesome! The night before I also went on an analytical rampage and came up with abou fifteen pages worth of graphs and content analysis of the three main newspapers in melbourne, its kinda nice to finally write without the rules that surround journalism, its like my mind just let go and let flow:)

Samoa Industry:

2007-10-03T18:28:00.000-07:00

Market Population:

179,186 people (Industrial area 70,000 pple)

Employment:

20, 396 end of first quarter 2007 (MOF)

Employment:

(Public) 52,000 (Stats Dept)

National Budget:

Revenues: 554 million

Expenditure: 584million

Deficit: 30million

Surplus after borrowing: 945million

MAIN INDUSTRIES:

Tourism: 226million

Transport and Communications: 131 million

Agriculture: 68million

Manufacturing: 89million

Construction: 87million

OUTLOOK:

MOF: 3.8 % growth

CBS: Economy forecasted to grow 3% in real terms

ADB: expects 3.4% growth

World Bank: Average Real GDP growth for Pacific is 3.8%

SOURCES:

Budget Address (PM Office)

Statistics Department (Samoa)

Ministry of Finance (Samoa)

Central Bank of Samoa

Asia Development Bank

World Bank

an analysis

2007-10-03T00:26:00.000-07:00

So I did a content analysis in regards to news coverage categories preferred by the three main newspapers in Melbourne, The Age, The Australian and The Herald Sun. Interesting finds, it seems The Australian takes more care in covering a broad range of issues whereas The Age although in deapth in other categories tend to steer more towards social stories, whereas the Herald Sun as expected posed more human interest stories than the other two.

Samoa's freedom of press under threat

2007-10-01T20:19:00.000-07:00

Anyone who prides in suppressing an otherwise free press is no better then this dead fella. I took this pic in my office two months ago, before it was viciously burnt down!

---------------------------------------------

Story:

June- Freedom of the press and the integrity of journalists are under attack this week in Samoa.
Owner of the largest radio station in Samoa, Radio Polynesia, Maposua Rudolph Keil has made a dramatic stance against freedom of some working Journalists in Samoa.
Maposua issued a letter to Radio Polynesia news team prohibiting them from attending Press Conferences by Saleimoa Vaai Asiata the most recent leader of the Samoa Democratic United Party and current Member of Parliament.
In his letter to his news team Maposua said: "You will not ever attend another Press Conference held by Honourable Asiata Saleimoa Vaai at his office at Fugalei. Should he wish to announce his news item over the air using our facilities he will have to pay for it, otherwise I will not allow it to be broadcasted due to harmful and unproven topics he uses in his Press Conference."
Maposua, a vocal Media owner went on to say: "Further I have indicated at our numerous discussions that you should report and praise the Government on the many good project."
News Editor of Radio Polynesia News Ms. Ame Sene has yet to make a statement in regards to the matter.
The Journalists Association of [Western] Samoa has expressed their dismay at the order by Maposua on his Journalists.

-NZ Herald Online

Information officers and the gag order

2007-10-01T20:11:00.000-07:00

Information or Public Relations officers in every other proud democratic state are major components of any public, private or even grass root level organizations.
They are the front of established organizations, ministries and companies whether they be national, regional or international.
Usually armed with Public Relations, Marketing, Journalism or even Human Resource qualifications and experience these people can make or break the public image and reputation of an organization.
They are the shields in times of troubles and the gel in times of friction and hardships for organizations.
Public Relations officers exist to maintain a positive image of their workplace, they are experts on issues relating to them and they are well informed on happenings in their organizations.
One of their major roles is to deal with the media, and a good public relations officer is a friend of the media.
This is one of their more important roles, as through the media they can address the concerns of the public.
Having said that, PR Officers play an integral part in any established body, especially one for the people dealing with members of the public daily.
The concept of Information and PR Officers has yet to make an impact on our shores.
Apart from Ministers, CEO's continue to be the only voice allowed to speak for Government Bodies while General Managers are the point of contact for some Private Sector companies.
Although the heads of these public and private bodies are the best points of reference they are usually either unavailable or take issues too personal therefore some concerns are not addressed.
As a Journalist I appreciate PR Officers, obviously they make my job easier, but most importantly they save time and they would give me an answer within one day.
In some Ministries a gag order is placed on all its workers to prevent them from speaking to the media.
This is a very unfortunate development as without information there is no awareness of success or failures therefore the changes that should be made will rarely occur.
Although I partly understand the reason for this gag order it is unfortunate that some great minds and inspirational characters working in Government are not allowed to speak on their respective fields of expertise.
It is also unfortunate as a Journalist passionate about Environmental and Health issues not to be able to interview third level Government workers for their opinion and their take on issues.
The gag order takes away from the freedom of our supposed democratic society.
When Government workers are afraid to speak for fear of repercussions on their careers it is very unfortunate, the gag order prohibits freedom of expression one of the founding pillars of democracy.
This habit of suppression although deeply routed in our culture should be diminished to allow for development.
Freedom to information, freedom of expression and freedom of the media are the core of any free and democratic state, like Samoa, unfortunately this is not exercised here.

-Newsline

tired of the asia-pacific term

2007-10-01T17:27:00.000-07:00

I will no longer stand for this Asia-Pacific crap, don't these foreigners know that the Pacific is a separate entity in itself, ok so you can barely make out our islands on the map but for Gods sake dont bulk us in like a freaking piece tuna steak, we are different, theres Asia and then theres the Pacific, one and the other. If I have to hear one more reference to AsiaPacific as where I am from I swear I will throw a bitch fit :) joking.
When people, governments or organisations use this term they really mean Asia, not the Pacific. It is a constant uphill struggle to prove that we are indeed separate... ok ill stop ranting :)

light in your eyes

2007-10-01T04:24:00.000-07:00

If my computer speakers switch off one more time I swear I will throw this whole freaking thing out the window of three story high Sunbury Halls, the impact of the fragile laptop will be enough to shatter the screened window and if somehowe impossibly makes it beyond the glass, the laptop along with five years worth of my own journalistic expressions will find a rushed demise shattered on the cold hard pavement of this isolated University Campus.
Well, I am in Sunbury Halls a Victoria University Campus, about 50 minutes from the center of Melbourne. The Campus is beautiful, the buildings, more to the English style rather then the non-existing Australian frames reminds me dearly of Austria and its sprawling castles and architectural creativity in the age of bricks and subtle curves.
I titled this blog as such as it is the song I am listening to by Blessid Union of Souls, called: "Light in your Eyes." The rhythm is inspirational but the words are depressing, thus making for one awesome love song, except i'm not feeling any of the emotions that typically go with such audio delights.
I just had three cups of english breakfast tea and I am content, I am content with me, my place in the world, right now, right this minute, I am content! Its beautiful. Of course theres the usual shit that comes with contentment, like forgetting momentarily that my office building burnt down, that our temporary location is now officially closed as well, that the future of Newsline is so fucking uncertain its almost depressing, I am forgetting momentarily that I left my car to a friend who is leaving and who may or may not have taken care of it well enough, I am forgetting momentarily that I ate way too much today :) hehe.. i could be thoroughly contradictory at times.
So what is good then?
Well whats good is that I am happy in the skin I am in, that I am still happy as a Journalist, that todays talk by Monash University Professor Mark Barton was awesome and it really opened up my eyes, and that every time he said democracy or pointed to the intricacies of the every fragile journey towards international cooperation I smiled in my head, coming up with new thoughts and ideas that lay dormant in my poor suppressed mind at times.

So here goes:

On Democracy:
Development is an accessory to democracy.

Developmental Journalism is a ntural progresion of the fourth estate.

Developmental Journalism complements liberal democracy.

A free press is a fuel for democracy.

Democracy cannot exist without a free press, unless otherwise stated :)

On Regionalism:
Regionalism is really neo-colonialism presented as assertive joint democracy.

Regionalism is a smaller version of globalisation masked in patriotic values really intended for the developmental aspirations of New Zealand and Australia :)

The Pacific Plan is the Conquerers Plan.

The Pacific Plan is the begining of the democratic meltdown.

Regionalism distors island democracy.

Regionalism fuels neo-colonialism mentalities.

On Other:
Autonomy is the core of hopeful democracy.

Democracy starts with me :)

Selfishness, the comfort of the heartless.

Free speech is liberation at its best.

the hour of our death

2007-09-27T10:35:00.000-07:00

I am thinking pretty dark thoughts as I sit here amidst the piercing darkness tapping away at a reluctant keyboard, my fingers are automated, my gaze unmoving, my breathing uninterrupted save for the hint of hindrance as i draw every breath, it is probably safe to say, that I am trying to kill time, precious minutes of my life by typing down thoughts that are non existent, thoughts that have persisted in my head until the moment when I decide to elucidate them through the power of technology.

Its an unGodly hour in Carlton, I am certain that Melbourne has yet to sleep, so the few souls whose thoughts still wonder while their eyes are wide awake share this moment with me. I don't know why I can't sleep but I know I will pay for it dearly!

For now, it is just me and the world.

The silence of the night reminds me of my grandmothers death, how she shed tears before she succumbed to that eternal sleep, I cursed when I heard this, why after all she has been through, after all her faith in God, the prayers every single night as she lay in that bed for fifteen years, why did she have to go like that, why could she not have gone in her sleep, peaceful and silent. The feeling of helplessness that overcame all of us in that precious hour emphasises yet again the sad truth about death, that it takes as it may.

Ariès, Philippe was right in The Hour of Our Death, which says that death lurks at the edge of our consciousness, ready to destroy us and demolish whatever meaning we attribute to our lives.

the pens contribution to the economy

2007-09-26T19:54:00.000-07:00

How do we as Journalists contribute to the economic development of a nation? Awardwinning AUstralian business and economics columnist and writer whois well known for his independence in thought and materials was straighforwardand refreshingly blunt about Australias lack of interest in the Pacific.Todays discussion explored the possibilities for change through our work. It is, I believeour strength of conviction in an idea that leads to a good story, and then other factorscome into play such as relevance, timing, balance, peg source but ultimatelyit should do good and provide an avenue for change, positive change. It is howevera personal dilemma at times, where I ask myself, who am I to make that change,do I have a right? But why not? Kenneth saied that the media creates a genuine sense of nationhood which leads to legitimate change!I tottally and utterly agree!

how many cofees is too many?

2007-09-25T20:31:00.000-07:00

When establishing sources and strengthening relationships with those that we need information from on a weekly basis, a cup of cofee with them was suggested to strengthen those ties, however it how many coffees with that person is too many. I think that the Journalist should draw a line between them and a source so as to ensure a certain degree of objectivity, how many cofees indeed does it take until the source becomes a 'friend.'

I think that once the journalist and the source sit down for more than two cups of coffee, undesirable expectations will come into place, thus interfering with the purpose of the alliance! Concepts such as integrity, burnt source and others come to mind.

Gender and self censorship in a free press

2007-09-25T03:47:00.000-07:00

Of course there is freedom of the press in Samoa/
Although there are constraints that hinder a full appreciation of press freedom, I still believe that Samoa enjoys free press and a healthy media.
So on what basis do I say this? I say this on the basis that I, a Samoan Journalist am able to write on any issue or topic daily without the intrusion or obstruction of the forces that be, the Government or certain arms of the law.
This is a rare privilege of occupation or passion in my case. But freedom of the press cannot be discussed without a consideration of the gender of a Journalist. During the JAWS Editors Forum, I enlightened our participants to the fact that women Journalists certainly face a stigma or discrimination that our male counterparts will not necessarily feel.
I speak for instance, of my early days in Journalism, a bright eyed, young Journo, keen to please the Editor and get my hands on any piece of news I can get. I was slowly, but surely developing what my Journalism Lecturer referred to as a ‘nose for news.’ Unfortunately for me, my mere appearance worked against my keenness and ‘nose,’ so to speak. The fact that I am half-caste (others may call it fake-palagi), that I am short (others may call it fikipu’u), I was small in size (others may call it underfed), under 25 and a woman really did not help my case. Those characteristics translated to inexperienced, immaturity, or even intrusion. The first Politician I interviewed asked a fellow Journalist: “Who is the little girl,” he said with a smirk. Because of my physical features working against me, I found I had to work hard and sharpen my writing skills to undermine the pre-existing misconceptions that plagued those of my gender. So in this case, it is fair to conclude that my perception of freedom of the press differed slightly to that of a male or a somewhat taller or more matured looking female Journalist. Today, some seven odd years later, I am still small, now just 25, still white, still female, but now with a better view of press freedom.
Indeed I now exercise that freedom daily in my work as News Editor, Foreign Correspondent and Feature Writer, and frankly, I love it!
Although freedom of the press exists, it does not deter from the fact that freedom of expression and freedom of information are not highly implemented nor advocated in Samoa. Seeing that our Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister are advocates of free press, there is no doubt they would agree to the encouragement of these two fundamental aspects of democracy.
The Press itself is one of the founding pillars of democratic Samoa, and Journalists, Editors and Media Owners sustain the existence of this foundation. But in saying that, we do have an obligation to the public, to our readers, listeners and watchers to be accurate, unbiased and seek the truth above all else. We have the ability to make a difference in our society, through our pen (these days a laptop or blackberry). We, through our work as informants, can contribute to ensuring that concepts such as transparence, accountability and good governance are observed and do materialize.
I would like to pay tribute to Savea Sano Malifa, who recognizes this, that the press plays an important role in democratic Samoa and the freedom of any society. Savea paved the way for a free press in Samoa, his stubborn journalistic persistence has given us the freedom to write accurate reports freely without fear of unfair repercussions. I would like to thank him for inspiring me to become what I am today, a passionate Journalist, fearless and yet like him, stubborn still.
I would also like to acknowledge the new breed of young, vibrant and ardent Journalists, you are what Samoa needs. The path of a Journalist is hard, it is long and winding, but well worth every step.
We must never forget that we are the voice of the voiceless, that freedom of the press is really the freedom of our people, not the Journalist, not the Editor nor the media Owner. We should never forget this fact, that what we print and broadcast will influence the lives of real people, so we must, regardless of all possible obstacles, strive to be accurate and uphold integrity in every word we write and utter.

May free press continue to prevail in Samoa

am i an agent of change?

2007-09-24T20:02:00.000-07:00

In our session today, on what hinders free media I came to the conclusion that it is us, that most of the influencing factors on freedom of the media are generally self imposed and observed, even if the factors that provoke them are external. An interesting point war raised by our colleague from West Papua, according to him in order to excercise and truly commit to free media, we must be agents of change. I agree whole heartedly, but the change must be good and honourable and it should stem from an intention to make a difference and to create a better society. Paolo Coehlo a most admirable author of spiritual phenomenons says that we are warriors of light, that if we fulfill our personal legends, we contribute to the soul of the world, to what makes humanity. Along the lanes of my sometimes utterly confused and ideologically polluted mind, I came to the conclusion that if we want to see change in the world, we have to be that change. We have to live it, define it or do everything in our power to aspire to be it. So in that sense, we are indeed agents of change, whether we be journalists, plumbers, hairdressers or even rubbish collecters, we all contribute in our own way, others inadevertantly and others more directly. Whats important is that we do it with passion, that we make it our responsibility to make a difference.

but what constitutes sanity

2007-09-21T20:44:00.000-07:00

Sanity, ah but the aspiration of the insane, of the illogical and the fool and the comfort of the reluctant routine-addict... thats it, ive officially lost the will to write, ive tried and tried and i cant for the life of me put my words onto paper, put patterns of literature into the every hungry microsoft word document. This is the most I have written in days, and it pains me to the deepest extent that i have lost this part of myself, that I have succumbed to the temptations of technology and the world wide web giving it constant permission to divert my attention, to fill my head with shallow images, ideologies and words that does nothing for the soul, that assists in no way, shape or form to the growth of my spiritual being.

to be or not to be a journalist

2007-09-11T11:14:00.000-07:00

After almost ten years in this profession, I sometimes wonder, in the wee hours of the morning when I am contemplating yet another headline: "Is this all worth it?" Is living ones passion for the written word worth the criticisms, verbal abuse, sometimes physical abuse and all other attempts to silence that voice?
Never in my whole career have I viewed Journalism as just 'work' it is more than that, and the more Journalists I meet that share the same ideals and values as I, the more I am convinced that indeed this is a passion and my own way of contributing to society, to the betterment of society.
I am currently in Australia on a six week fellowship courtesy of the Australian Government, I was fortunate enought to be an awardee for the Australian Leadership Awards in Economic Affairs Reporting. In the next few weeks, nine of us from PNG, Vanuatu and Indonesia will be given a crash course on Economic Affairs Reporting, with three day attachments to various news media in Australia. This should be interesting.
I find, that I am always a bit more outspoken than my colleagues in the Samoa, so it is always good to mingle with others from the region.
Yesterday we tackled the question of ethics, how far can we go and where do we draw the line in terms of conflict of interest. I admitted, albeit reluctantly, that my participation in the fellowship may compromise my future writing on Australia, I mean, would I really want to bite the hand that feeds me? No :) But perhaps this is modern-day progress, my most respected colleagues have accepted fellowships and famil visits without patting and eyelid in the last few years, so why shouldn't I.
But more then anything I want to learn about this grey area in reporting.
I should probably consider going to bed now.

How accurate is our census?

2007-06-15T04:47:00.000-07:00

By Cherelle Jackson

The Samoan Census reports apart from the Crimes Ordinance and the Economic Performance reports ranks highest on my list of most informative and valuable research sources produced locally.
It is a good source for background information into any story or issue in Samoa, it is of course the main reference in terms of population, housing, employment and other important facts pertaining to the Samoan people.
The latest census however poses some questionable figures.
For instance, how accurate is the latest total population figure?
The total population in 2001 was 176,710, and in 2006 it increased to 179,186 that meant that in five years Samoas population noted a slight increase of 2476 residents.
Factors such as birth rate, death rate, migration patterns and of course the actual counting process itself can impact the accuracy of a census.
But the slight increase seems somewhat inaccurate based on Samoas consistent increase in birthrate and prolonged life expectancy.
The CIA Factbook, perhaps the most update source of basic country information estimated Samoas birthrate at 16.43 per 1000 people in 2006.
They projected a 72% increase in birthrate for 2007, the highest projection yet.
The Tupua Tamasese Meole II Hospital maternity ward records a maximum of 25 births a day, averaging at about 100 babies born per week and a 300 a month.
“There are 2000 to 3000 recorded births a year at the national hospital,” said one inside source.
According to the source, more than 70 new pregnancies are checked weekly at TTMHII for women from the Apia urban and surrounding areas.
If such statistics are correct than in five years there would have been an average of 12,500 births based on the birthrate statistics and estimates.
So why then, has there only been a 2476 increase in population?
In 2006, we were ranked 146 in death rates of the world thus indicating a low death rate.
Samoa posed an estimated 6.62 per 1000 population, a low number which was also projected to decrease by 11.18% this year.
So why has Samoas population gone fairly unscathed in the last five years?
Several people I have spoken to in regards to this editorial have said that they were not counted in last years census.
“I have four children, husband, a cousin with a wife and three children living in the same compound and we were all not counted,” said one Upolu resident.
On a more personal account, in my village of Safua Savaii, the 2001 population of 287 has decreased by four people according to the last census.
I find this hard to believe, considering three of the largest households have had more births in our villages than death, and there have generally been more people moving back into the village than moving out.
This of course is not meant to discredit the work of tireless surveyors and everyone at the Statistics Department involved in the creation of the Census, but I feel it is important to find out the exact reasons for such a slight change in total population.
Are the methods used accurate?
Was everyone counted?
It would be good at the end of the day, to know that everyone is represented in those precious digits which would resonate throughout the centuries as proof of our mere existence in Samoa.
In this case, even just 1 is an integral number.

$30 million increase in spending

2007-06-15T04:44:00.000-07:00

By Cherelle Jackson

Government spending will increase by more than 20 million tala within the next financial year according to the Budget Summary General Estimates for 2007-2008.
The new Budget delivered in Parliament last week has seen a jump in overall spending under current and development expenditures.
The last financial year recorded an estimate of $420,000,000.00 in current expenditures; the next financial year will see an estimate of $470,000,000.00 a good $30million jump from the last budget.
The Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture is projected to spend the highest amount of funds, totaling to more than a $100 million tala in total expenditures.
Second highest expenditure of close to $70 million will be spent by the Ministry of Works, Transport and Infrastructure.
The Ministry of Health is due to spend close to $60 million within the next financial year.
Revenues expected amount to $554,334,406.00 a good $20 million more from the last financial year.
The highest estimated earnings will be made by the Ministry for Revenue, expecting close to $400 million in total ordinary revenue.
Following behind is Ministry of Finance at close to $50 million.
Ministry of education, Sports and Culture is projected to earn a little over $17 million within the next financial year.
Overall Samoa is expected to make SAT$945,940.00 surplus after borrowing.
The official start of the next financial year is the 30th of June.

Malietoa descendants threaten interim injunctions

2007-06-15T04:38:00.000-07:00

By Cherelle Jackson

Descendants of the Malietoa title took matters to the Registrar of Lands and Titles Court yesterday regarding the proposed bestowment of the Malietoa title to Faamausili Papalii Moli, son of the late Malietoa Tanumafili II.
Sources say representatives from some families of Malietoa threatened to file interim injunctions to stop the ceremony which was planned for tomorrow.
“Descendants of one of the Malietoa families came forward yesterday to place interim injunctions on the planned title bestowment ceremony,” a source from the Lands and Titles Court said yesterday.
Due to the sensitivity of this issue, the names of those who spoke to Newsline have been withheld upon their request.
According to one of the family members, the planned Thursday title bestowment ceremony of the Malietoa title on Faamausili Papalii Moli Malietoa has caused friction amongst the descendants of the Malietoa title.
“We do not all agree with the decision,” said a family member who was present at yesterdays discussions with the Registrar.
According to the same source he was saddened that the decision for the next Malietoa was made so soon after the funeral of the late Malietoa.
“They could have waited until at least a year after,” he said.
“Some suggested that the ceremony be postponed, if not than the title be bestowed on three sulis (descendants) of the Malietoa title, instead of one,” he said.
The Registrar Tusipa Masinalupe confirmed to Newsline yesterday that the “petitioners” agreed to further discuss matters before taking further legal action.
According to him, the proposed interim injunctions come under Articles 49 and 50 of the Lands and Titles Act.
Earlier this week Newsline was informed by sources in the village of Sapapalii that the descendants there had agreed for Faamausili to receive the title of Malietoa.
Later these claims were refuted by other members of the Malietoa family.
Spokesman for the Tuamasaga, Mano’o Si’a Ulu
Faamausili had long been the Aide de Camp for the late Malietoa Tanumafili II, his father.
His personal and public achievements have earned him respect amongst members of the local community.
If continued as planned the title bestowment ceremony will take place on the eve of Governments announcement of the next Head of State of Samoa.

Illness and what constitutes an emergency

2007-06-15T04:35:00.000-07:00

By Cherelle Jackson

[Newsline Newspaper Samoa] I have not been well recently, in fact I have been quite unwell, with one health problem after the next for almost four weeks straight, I am finally seeing the value in pain killers and good Doctors.
In the last month alone I have seen four doctors, including one in New Zealand visited one Hospital, four pharmacies and have taken an array of tablets for all sorts of ailments.
My experience lately has brought a new meaning to the phrase: “When it rains it pours,” because not only has it poured in terms of my health it has stormed like nothing I have seen before.
Being ill really makes one appreciate good health and life in general but perhaps most importantly good health services.
In that, I mean private Clinics, Hospital and Pharmacies.
In finding out I had an ailment which required a slight intrusion of ones privacy I opted for Asaua Doctors at Togafuafua, both female with a history in both private and public health there was no doubt in their expertise.
Le Fomai Clinic with Dr. Tala Ta’avao also proved effective especially armed with the expertise to conduct minor surgical procedures.
Marias Health Care Pharmacy was my one stop shop for prescription medicine in the first two weeks.
During the long weekend I found myself with a high fever combined with sore and swollen throat, it was Sunday morning in the midst of a holiday weekend.
My sister enlisted the assistance of my brother who will be graduating today with a Post Graduate Diploma in Midwifery, who better to take care of her two week old baby, while she drove me around to find a working Doctor.
Fortunately for me, the ever committed Dr. Joe Enosa was working in full force at Med Cen Hospital that day.
His reassuring words and accurate prescriptions provided immediate relief soon after.
We managed to find my prescribed medicine at The Drug Store ad Med Cen and at the Multipharm Pharmacy at Sogi.
Thankfully, both were open on Sunday.
In saying that, I am thankful that private health services are well equipped and resourced to serve those of us who experience some form of sickness after hours and during the holidays.
I did not have the patience or the energy to wait around in the public health system nor was my case qualified as an “emergency.”
As you may know the National Hospital only sees “Emergency” cases after certain hours.
But what constitutes an emergency?
Cardiac arrest and accidents are the common forms, but what if one needed immediate attention, with a high temperature or even severe physical and not necessarily visible pains?
Does ones internal organs have to be visible in order to be qualified as a case of “emergency”?
So far, there has been no visible description of what constitutes an emergency in accordance with the TTMHII consultation hours.
Perhaps it is time such rules were specified and options publicized for those needing medical attention after hours or during public holidays
Death like time, waits for no man, or Doctor for that matter.

Laziness can be the root of all evil

2007-04-29T03:52:00.000-07:00

I must admit, after months and months of no blog entries, I am worried about myself and my passion for writing, I guess after a while it became obligatory therefore I lost the enjoyment value in it all..blah..blah.
A lot has happened in Samoa and in my life since my last mournful entry, it is a bit brighter in Paradise nowadays, in my Paradise at least. The most awesome change has been the increase of women in the Samoan Cabinet, from one woman Minister in the early nineties to three women Ministers to date. Apart from family, spiritual and career successes the increase in the number of women in the Samoan Government can be interpreted as a personal success, as a feminist, a daughter of a feminist, a sister to feminists and friends of feminists and a citizen of feminism.

Death and 4 Year Old drowns at Aggies pool

2006-09-02T03:13:00.000-07:00

A four your old boy drowned at the Aggie Greys Resort at Mulifanua last Saturday. An unfortunate and heart wrenching incident, the boy was accompanied by his grandparents. He was pronounced clinically dead on site. According to a source at the Hotel, there was no one around the pool as it was raining, there were no guests swimming and no workers in that area of the Hotel. "It was raining that day and everyone steered clear of the pool." Unfortunately by the time they had realised the child was missing, it was too late. Asked if the Hotel had any first aid trained workers the source said yes, but the staff turnover was high.
Hundreds turned up to the funeral today, to mark the passing of the young boy. He was described as bright, energetic and pleasant child.
His name was Phoenix and his 5th birthday is one month away, his parents are Joachim Keil and Tasha Shuster.
Before we sleep tonight, let us spare a thought for the parents, family and friends of Phoenix.

Personal Note
What a sudden, tragic and unfortunate ending to such a young life. It certainly makes me think twice now before taking out my nieces and nephews. It also emphasises on how we take life for granted sometimes. This has been such a strange year for me, so many people I know have passed on and it has forced me to face it, the fact that one day we all die, and that this is a temporary state and that death is the one thing man has yet to avoid.
These people that have died, except for my grandmother they did not play any part in my life, they were people I see every week, they were distant relatives that I have known since I was a child, it was the guy that I talked to last week, it is people who I never sat down and had a chat with, but somehow our paths cross and only in their passing do I realise how special they were. There is a saying that 'something is valued only when it is gone for good' this is true in some respect when it comes to death.
A tribute to those who have passed on this year.

Faleasiu Liki Tiatia
Not a day goes by that I do not think of her, and every now and then I cry, remembering the things she said, her humour and her infinite patience, strong faith and the will to live so long without walking and without sight.

Dr. Vaasiliifiti Asaua
Such a gentle soul, so humble and so genuine in everything he does and say.

Hirene Tofilau
He loved life more than anyone I know, he embraced it with a passion that no one could understand. Never without a smile, always with something funny to say.

Elena
A faithful public servant with something to say about everything. She lighted up anyones day who walked into the physio ward at Motootua.

Phillip Amituanai Seti
The thing about death is, you never really see it coming. For Phillip he denied this, he fought it to the end. He was fun man who loved his family and brought people together with his charm and humour.

Reader Opinion: Military Base

2006-09-02T03:11:00.000-07:00

By Tagata Nuu o Samoa

As a local I totally disagree and am appalled with the prospects of a US army in Savaii. I think u mustn't trash the editor as I doubt many people agree with him. One funny thought crossed my mind though what would happen to ol' American Samoa who's only connection to the US(freebies) is their harbour and militany base? hmmm American Samoans should worry about this as it mean the US has had enough of them its time to move onto the next victims. American Samoa seems to be costing more to the US then being an advantage. Back to Savaii, I believe in our PM really, he ain't stupid and he will not be bullied into agreeing to the US demands. hullo he already detained the US soldiers that came through without passports to get them cos we ain't bending backwards for anyone. He also told the Aussies to get a grip when they demanded to see our books that was supposed to be readily available to them never mind that we have no interest in theirs. So I think Mr PM will see that a US base will do alot of harm than any good in Samoa. Unbelievable... the US will just about have a base in all countries of the Pacific. And yeah they left ruin where-ever they were. Look at Tonga they never recovered economically after the US marines left their shores with their money leaving lots of half americans at the that! eeewww. And diplomatic imunity my foot, some US soldiers are committed atrocities in Iraq ( which is under world scrutiny) why would Samoans be any safer for some psychopaths that would be posted to Samoa! reading about it made my skin crawl. Samoa is doing very well economically and our culture and people being unique and still having a culture is our greatest selling point to the world. With all the terrorist attacks all over the world, soon enough travellers will realise that the Pacific especially Samoan(untouched) will be the next best thing. So our country need not worry about money handed to us, look at what it did to our brothers and sisters in Am Samoa.

Samoa shifts into authoritarian

2006-08-31T14:19:00.000-07:00

It is all to clear now more than a ever that Samoa is heading toward a direction that we do not want to go, authoritarian, perhaps not in its official and declared status but certainly in practice. Just looke at the events of the last few months.

BAN OF THE DA VINCI CODE
A few old farts sat down watched a movie and decided that the rest of Samoa has weak faith and this would do more harm than good, so one young man, signed a piece of paper and the movie was banned from Samoa.

BURN OPPOSITIONS HOUSE
One village decided to burn down the house of one opposition leader who took their winning MP to court.

THREE MONTH BAN ON NIGHTCLUBS
The Liquor Board (old farts also) decided that Samoans were drinking too much and imposed a ban on all major nightclubs to close for three months or relocate. That is after a three week closure already. The owners of the clubs had no say in the matter.

MEDIA BAN
The media were chased away from the opening of a new prison cell at Tafaigata by the Police Commissioner, who provided no explanation except :'you are not allowed!' Meanwhile every tom, dick and harry was walking into the place.

An Awesome Day

2006-08-12T02:50:00.000-07:00

By Cherelle Jackson

I think we spend too much time complaining instead of embracing, well at least I do, so in this entry, mock-editorial, I am going to do something out of character and praise the day. Today was awesome because even though I was tired [I worked until 2:30 in the morning,] I still woke up at 7.00am and brushed up on my work before heading off.

what to wear
The only glitch of course was what I was going to wear. I wanted to wear something bright because the day was dark, however the only appropriate clothes for my first appointment were dark, so black and white it was. I have about five black skirts to my name, I never run out of dark, boring clothes, it is to make up for my height (the lack of it) and my weight (the lack of it as well :)

smart people are fat
Let me just step out of topic for a second to explain the black skirt phenomena. When I started out in my first job as News Reporter for Samoa Observer, the biggest challenge was not in the writing, news gathering, or interviewing but rather my appearance. I am convinced that if I was tall and big, the job would have been easier. Why? Well easy, people show you more respect if you are older, bigger, taller, fatter, maybe ugly too, and generally people who have these admirable attributes are viewed as smarter. Say for instance I and a fellow Journo bigger than me approached someone at the time for an interview, they would respond to the other person, as I am the 'little shit that has no right to question her elders.'

back to the day
I got to my planned interview at about 9.00am and sat at Poloma Komitis waiting room for half an hour waiting for an appointment that was never recorded, for a person that was not there and most likely not keen to speak to me. I was hunting down some more info concerning Sunan Siriwan the Thai tiler whom Phillip Field suspiciously brought into the country for "immigration reasons." Anyway my editor was up my arse about chasing down this story, which I was not interested in as it was going way overboard. So anyway in that half an hour as I waited, I chatted with two old men and an elderly lady from Savaii. We laughed about our own peopls stupidity, naivity and of course the down right assholes. One man was complaining about a couple he took under his wing to help as they were both banned from their villages. "I took them in, fed em', clothed em' and housed them, but they did not lift a finger for a whole month, so I threw them out." He went on, he got vulgar and soon more couples were staying at his house and they wer all equally worthless, and our story teller was the hero of his own story :)

jake brown
My next appointment was with Mr Jake Brown, a young good-looking with a nice butt... sorry.. accent Brit, who is an Australian Youth Ambassador, currently teaching Broadcast Journalism at Samoa Polytech. As the Secretary of the Journalists Association of [Western] Samoa, one of my responsibilities is to arrange trainings for current Journalists to improve our outputs, in other words SOMEBODY SAVE US PLEASE, from all the shitty news thats coming out! About three weeks ago I asked Jake, who has a post grad in broadcast journalism and two years of experience with BBC if he could train our local radio journalists on basic radio news writing. He was keen, so as part of the prep to the training he wanted to see the studios in each radio station and ask the news readers some questions to get a feel of

radio journalists
I tried, unsuccessfully for two days to contact the radio stations to schedule a tour for Jake, so I decided to do what we hamos to do best, walk in. I met up with Jake at 11:21am and we arrived at the SBC studio at 11:23. We walked into the Studio and asked for Lave, one of the reporters, a kid directed us to a door where a lot of laughter was coming from. We knocked, once then twice, and finally the door was opened by Fuapepe who was, how should I say this, she was on her niece in prayer position, we opened the door, to see solitaire on one computer, solitaire on the second and third. In the small room the whole SBC news team were having a break. The News Editor, the Senior Reporter, News Presenter and News Reporter, all chatting and laughing. We got so lucky as Merita, the brains and real sweat behind SBC gave Jake a personal tour of the tv and radio studio. It was awesome.

man i gotta finish this some other time as I am tired and need my beauty sleep...

A tribute to Yvonne, my niece

2006-08-09T03:53:00.000-07:00

This is for you on your 8th Birthday!

Yvonne in my opinion is the strongest person in our family, she gets it from her grandmother and her mother. Yvonne in her lifetime has already witnessed the death of her great grandmother and the birth of both her sister and brother. Yvonne is that light that shines on anything and anyone at anytime. She has an energy that could inspire great things. Yvonne is sharp, honest and beautiful. She is appreciative, hopeful, inquisitive and charming. Her only weaknesses are her brother and sister. She guards them with her life, sacrificing anything to ensure they smile, laugh and get what they want.

The cake!
Lately Lani and I have gotten into decorating home made cakes for the kids birthdays. She baked a flat square chocolate cake for Vettes birthday and I decorated it with wafers and marshmallows, creating a little house and garden on the cake. They loved it, so today we decided we were going to do it with the kids as part of the birthday present, which is officially tommorow. We bought a cake and decorations and sat down at their dining table, Yvonne, Yvette, myself and Barry at the head of the table. We started with the brown cream, covering the body of the cake, then we filled in the nozzeled tube with pink cream to write on the cake. Armed with the tube and ready to write, I asked Yvonne what she wanted on her cake. Initially she said: "Happy Birthday Vonne." then after some encouragement that she could say anything as it is her cake she said: "How about, I HATE MELE." Lani and I laughed out loud, Mele of course was Yvonne Mele Sapatu, her name sake, her aunty and of course her arch enemy. Mele would be at the birthday party, poor Yvonne would be strangled if the inscription was such! So in the end we settled for Happy birthday yvonne, meanwhile Barry decided to stand on the chair instead of sitting, and he was sneezing at maximum speed therefore sending, not tiny but huge specs of saliva onto the cake, it was hilarious. After some adjustments and quarter of the cake cut for tasting, and lots of eaten cream later, we came up with a nice birthday cake for vonne.

Mega and Jody, Yvonne asked last week if you were both coming for her birthday. I said unfortunately it is too expensive for you both to travel so you wont be making it. She then asked if you were sending a card for her, according to Lani, Yvonnes latest obsession has been receiving something in the mail. So we decided I was going to write letters, get it stamped and ready for postage however I will place it in my mailbox. Tommorow I can take Yvonne to my mail box, open it and low and behold letters from Aunty Jody and Aunty Mega in a mailbox, addressed to her! She never has to know :)

Her latest dumbfounding question.

Aunty Relle, when I am 18 will you be dead?

Her light bulb question.
While sun bathing at Palolo deep, looking up at the sky, she asked.

"Aunty, what is beyond the clouds?"

The wisest things she has said.
After asking why her Great Grandmother died, she said:

"Is it because her time has come."

Her latest wish

"Aunty, when I am 18 can you take me to Thailand to ride elephants?"

The question I thought she would never ask
This is after being explained the concept of ex-boyfriend and marriage.

"Why do people stop loving?"

Thai terror and missing home

2006-07-25T23:03:00.000-07:00

It has been four days now, since arriving in Chiangmai Thailand, sorry to say but this place is a shithole. It is so polluted that spending a mere ten minutes outdoors causes one to clog up for hours. The streets are filthy, seems no one takes care of their yards or their own houses, ugh! I went to the food market and frankly if I wanted to get sick quick I would eat some chicken from there!
That being said, the people a lovely, ok im not in the mood to write, we just finished a four hour session on abortion and teenage pregnancy and frankly my thoughts are still on the matter and the different sides of this story, extreme sides! We are now off on field visits, we will be visiting the Thai family planning to see how they operate. Should be interesting. Ill update you on that later!

Corporate Crap in communication

2006-07-17T13:12:00.000-07:00

So the long awaited GSM technology for our outdated cellphones is supposed to come into place by the end of this year. Mind you its been a long time coming, very long, like since 2002 they started saying "it will be up in two months time," that two months has brought us this far :) But what is the real story about the delay, of GSM. Well here it is, while working for Observer I did some investigation into it, I found the full story but unfortunately at the time SamoaTel was one of Observers main Advertisers and as we all know, without them newspapers will not survive, so the Editor basically said no stories about major advertisers, how about that for balanced reporting.:) THe story has developed thus far and I followed through it interesting and intrcate weavings of corruption. Here is a brief descrip.

The Government signed an agreement with Telecom Samoa Cellular when they first entered the country that they would be the sole mobile phone provider. At that time SamoaTel (Samoa Post and Telecomunications) was a pathetic discorganised Government body, with little to no substance. That being said, they were doing a good job with their small budget, but since it was established first it already had the towers and and advanced facilities and equipment ahead of Telecom. So when Samoa decided GSM was to be adopted, SamoaTel had the towers but Telecom Samoa had the rights to implement the technology on Mobile Phones. The catch was, Telecom did not have the towers or facilities to introduce GSM and SamoaTel was not willing to share its resources, so thus the gridlock. SamoaTel of course were legally prohibited from introducing GSM on Mobile Phones as the Government signed the contract with Telecom. So here we had everything to enable Samoa to use GSM (in 2002) but a piece of paper was stopping the process for four years all because some ass-fuck signed an agreement without thinking forward. So how was the Government going to get out of this one. Easy really, they create their own mobile phone provider in the form of DigiCell to take up the other half of the market. Now you might ask, but DigiCell is owned by an Irish man, indeed it is, but 50% of the local shares are owned by CSL and CSL as you may know is owned by the Government. So now DigiCell can share the use SamoaTel towers, and Telecom builds from scratch. So where is the piece of paper? I dont know, but its obvious some ammendments were made during the arguing process and the Government came out on top. So why the infatuation with communication, simple really, Samoa rates one of the highest as fastest growing mobile phone users in the world since the introduction of this technology to the country, so a lot of much money is to be sucked dry from the people thhrough a piece of metal with wiring inside and the Government is making sure they suck it not anyone else. So if this is happening, what else is happening in this beautiful Paradise of ours? Its true indeed eh' "Absolute power corrupts absofuckinglutely!"

Some truths we choose to ignore

2006-07-13T23:57:00.000-07:00

I was born on the island of Savaii in the village of Safua and Lalomalava, I went to school in the village of Fusi, my mother takes me shopping in the village of Salelologa, and every week I associated with people from the rest of Faasaleleaga and some from other districts in Savaii. These stories I will relate below are events which I witnessed first hand or were told to me by my friends or family, others are events or situations that everyone knew about but it was the general concensus was that it was none of our business and we were not to interfere, the rest of us did not know any better. These are events which occured while I was growing up, they happened to people I knew, to people I did not know and to those I did not wish to know. These are some general statements, or straight facts on some of these incidents.

A fellow students ear was half torn by a teacher who tossed at it as a form of punishment.

The wife of an influential matai in the district was having an affair with the captain of his village rugby team. Everyone knew this, the rugby boys, the womens committee, the family of the wife, the family of the husband, the only person who did not know was the husband.

Four female relatives who have related their 'first break' to me were cases of rape. They did not know any better and to this day they still think that being forced to have sex is the proper way of losing ones virginity.

Case 1: She was taken by a man to his house, much older than herself, she was a student, and he chased her around a room until she had no energy, he then had his way with her.

Case 2: She was drunk and her boyfriend took her home, she refused the advances but he was stronger and she ended up crying after as she was bleeding and in much pain.

Case 3: The girl was 14 the guy was a family friend, he took her into a room and raped her, she thought it was his right.

Two lesbians from one village were brought forward to the village council for daring to express their sexual orientation, both committed suicide the next day. The general consensus was that was best for them.

The fallacy in transparancy

2006-06-27T20:21:00.000-07:00

So the Government of Australia invested thousands of Aussie money so that their concepts Good Governancce, Accountability and Transparency are fully exercised and utilized in our beloved nation of Samoa. This was to be the answer to our dreams, the Journalist. Why? Because finally we are able to gain access to public documents (notice, they are public documents but really they arent). Finally we can investigate a story into Government and actually get the answers at the end of the day, you know the right answer, from the right document at the right place, but low and behold this was not so, of course our PM nodded his head, signed the right documents and said yes to all the right questions when aussie waved the aid sign, but that of ciourse was just for the money, money money and nothing towards the concept which they are trying to introduce. Poor ignorant Aussies thinking they have the stupid little island under its wing, yes of course they have a hidden agenda, but they dont know that Samoans are the greatest at feigned ignorance when it comes to complying with certain parts of agreements.
So Australia is building us millions of dollars worth of infrustructure, well God know how much thats going to cost us in the future, more Aussie officers for some missions in Samoa.. hehe..

Clueless Journalists

2006-06-25T17:31:00.000-07:00

At the JAWS (Journalists Association of W Samoa) meeting yesterday, the last item on the agenda was a discussion of the Da Vinci Code. This was to be the highlight of the otherwise boring meeting, when the President announced that the floor was open to the discussion of the Da Vinci Code, the first expression was: “I move a motion to close this meeting, I am tired of listening to that topic.” Then others agreed and the meeting was closed without a discussion of this topic, never mind that we emphasized on our need to have a stance on the issue, as this is a breach of our right to information, freedom of expression. Ah, well, everytime we have these meetings I always have to take a step back and sing in my head so that I don’t get too frustrated from the lack of response and understanding of certain issues. Back in Journalism school we were told that the three main reasons we join the profession is to 1.be known, 2. influence 3. passion for writing. I can honestly say that only a few or in for the passion, and this begets arrogance. For instance at a Press Conference yesterday, one Journo bullied the organizer of the Press Conference with remarks such as : “You should start now, You should tell us what this is all about, we don’t know what this is about.” Instead of shouting this out maybe she should have done her research. The Journo was loud and pushy much to my disappointment as the PC organizer was very helpful and it was organized well. I do hope I never come across as that in our Conferences.
Peter Lomas, the training and development person for Samoa Observer ended his contract a couple of days ago. I didn’t read the announcement of this but I did notice the change in front page layout right the next day and wondered why. I only found out two days later that PL was gone. Personally I think this is a loss for the Samoan Media, PL was a wealth of information when it came to anything to do with the regional or even global media scene. He had a great network, was fluent in media laws and regulations and knew the ropes when something had to be done. He was very supportive of World Press Freedom Day, a professional to a T and with my dealings with him, a pleasant fella to know, many have attested to this. However many did not like him in the local media, Journos, Editors and others in the field did not appreciate his routine, his way of doing things. Others like myself prejudged him at first, some chose to remain this way but as for me after some background research, positive testimonies from local and foreign colleagues and finally personally dialoguing and working with him I came to appreciate what he has contributed to the regional media and his wealth of knowledge, he was a tremendous help and he is a great loss to us.

No im not naked

2006-06-22T20:09:00.000-07:00

I realised after creating Savaii Times the website and declaring it as a somewhat news site, I couldnt write any of my opinions in it as I would be subject to the Code of Ethics and guidelines of the Media in Samoa, so I created this, so I could expose the stench of truth in various things, in here I could talk freely without fearing a defamation suit slapped on my face or a ban from my profession, in here I am naked my thoughts (cheesy yeah, but hey, my site!), so I'll talk, banter on, get pissed off and just generally be me! So here we go!