The Tonga government is taking three days to look at how its information services performed in the lead-up to and following the events of November 16, and the Prime Minister's Office has called in its former nemesis, Kalafi Moala, to lead them through it.

In a three-day 'Government Media Strategy Workshop' hosted by the Prime Minister's Office, starting tomorrow, media officers will assess and review government media strategy.

Media strategy

Sitiveni Finau from the government's Information Unit said that the workshop would be attended by media people from various government departments. "Every government department has an information section, and this will be an opportunity for them to assess and review government media strategy before and after 16/11, and hopefully come up with a new and better media strategy."

Sitiveni said workshop would also look at, "the influence of the media on what happened on 16/11. This is only from the media perspective but there will also be other government workshops on other perspectives in the lead-up to the events of 16/11."

Paula Ma'u the Deputy Secretary to Cabinet said that the Government Media Strategy Workshop would include ministerial media personnel who write press releases and host radio and television programs.

It will also be attended by representatives from the publicly-funded news services, the Tonga Broadcasting Commission and the Kalonikali Tonga.

The workshop will be conducted by Kalafi Moala, the Publisher and Editor of the Taimi 'o Tonga newspaper, from Auckland, who over the years has battled with the government in the courts, and who left Tonga after being jailed for his reporting.

Control

During the past few years government has been trying to have some control over the news media, in 2003 by trying to amend Clause 7 of the Constitution (Freedom of the Press). A major part of this amendment was later overturned by the Supreme Court.

The Government established a centralised Information Unit, but more recently has allowed government ministries to establish their own information sections and disseminate information directly to the public. For the past two years the government has also hired a public relations company from Fiji to jazz-up Tonga's image overseas. Then, most recently, was the move by the Prime Minister to have his own Press Secretary, and Political Adviser, outside of the information unit, for the first time by a Tongan Prime Minister.

The Government Media Strategy Workshop, run by Kalafi Moala will be the latest effort by government to tango with the media.