Pasifika Environews Awards presented in Fiji [1]
Friday, June 9, 2023 - 19:05
Pacific journalists were acknowledged in a 'Pasifika Environews Awards' for their exemplary reporting on environment, ocean and climate change, during a World Ocean Day celebration on 8 June.
Fiji's President HE Ratu Wiliame Katonivere announced the winners:
- SPREP Best Environment Story – Charles Piringi, Solomon Islands
- Runner Up- Sera Sefeti, Fiji Islands
- OPOC Best Ocean Story- Vijay Narayan, Fiji Islands
- Runner Up- Ben Bilua, Solomon Islands
- Pasifika Environews Best Climate Change Story- Moffat Mamu Ghala, Solomon Islands
- Runner Up- Irwin Angiki, Solomon Islands
A collaboration between the Pacific Islands News Association (PINA), Internews Earth Journalism Network (EJN), Office of the Pacific Ocean Commissioner (OPOC), and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), the awards honoured exemplary reporting on environment, ocean, and climate change in the Pacific.
The winners were selected from three main categories. The OPOC Best Ocean Story, SPREP Best Environment Story, and Best Climate Change Story. Winners will each receive USD$1,000 prize money while the runners-up each receive USD$500.
Narayan said it is their duty as journalists to highlight issues of concern and to effect change that will benefit the people of our country and environment.
“It was not an easy task to keep pushing for answers and to seek the truth on this critical issue. In the end, the Minister for Lands and Mineral Resources has revoked the development lease, highlighting serious concerns and breaches. We still have a lot of work to do to ensure that there is a clear balance in protecting our environment and development.”
Solomon Island's Piringi who did an investigative piece on mining in Guadalcanal, said as an environmental and investigative journalist, this was one of the stories he was keen on working on.
"It took me six months to work on the story alone, gathering information for the story was challenging especially when there were officials who were not so willing to share information, and there was also the challenge of traveling down to remote Guadalcanal where the mining operation was happening. I traveled two times to the remote village for interviews, and at some point, I was not allowed to enter the mine site to do my work. Simply, it is not easy working on environmental stories that involve mining and logging in the country.”
Sera Sefeti, of Islands Business, did her piece on the plight of Moce Island villagers, in the Lau Group in Fiji, following the volcanic eruption in Tonga last year.
“Writing environmental stories concerning climate change, ocean or atmosphere is a passion of mine because these are issues that affect all humans. The pain, the suffering, the resilience, and the depth of our people deserve to be told. I was inspired to write this story because this is one of the most remote islands in Fiji and their stories are hardly highlighted because of their remoteness."
Makereta Komai, Pacific Islands News Association Manager and PACNEWS editor commended the winners and journalists who submitted entries.
“We were impressed with the quality of the entries received from journalists across the region. We thank our partners - Internews Earth Journalism Network, Office of the Pacific Ocean Commissioner, and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme for supporting this inaugural Pasifika Environews Awards."