BY INDY MAEALASIA

THE Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) is calling on regional governments, donors, and tech companies to take urgent action to protect journalists and strengthen media resilience in the age of artificial intelligence.

Addressing Solomon Islands journalists during recent World Press Freedom Day commemorations, PINA President Kalafi Moala outlined three core priorities to ensure media freedom and sustainability in the digital era: protecting journalists, supporting independent media, and investing in media and AI literacy

“Journalists must be free to report without fear—whether on the ground or online. This includes protection from harassment, surveillance, and censorship in the digital sphere,” Moala said.

He emphasized the importance of resourcing public interest media and ensuring independence from political or commercial pressure.

“Independent media must be adequately resourced and protected. That means fair funding models, transparent media regulation, and public trust.”

Moala also called for immediate investment in digital literacy across the Pacific.

“Governments and education institutions must help journalists and communities understand how AI works, how to use it ethically, and how to recognize manipulation and disinformation,” he said.

With the Pacific region no stranger to crisis and change, Moala emphasized confidence in the region’s resilience and capacity to adapt.

“We in the Pacific are no strangers to navigating storms—be they cyclones, crises, or change. But we are also people of resilience, of wisdom, and of collective strength,” he said.

“With the right tools, partnerships, and protections, our journalists will continue to hold power to account, amplify Pacific voices, and report truth in all its complexity.”

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BY JOHN HOUANIHAU

The British High Commissioner to the Solomon Islands, His Excellency Paul Turner has organised a short event to commemorate Victory in Europe Day.

2025 marks the 80th anniversary of VE Day (Victory in Europe Day) on May 8. Yesterday’s event also involved the laying of wreaths.

Attending the event are the Solomon Island Governor General David Tiva Kapu, Solomon Island Royal Police Force Deputy commissioner Juanita Matanga, Australian High Commissioner Rod Hilton and Brett Verity rep of the Australian Defence Force, Japan Ambassador Keiichi Hagiuchi, United States Charge d’affaires Ms Kristine Marsh, New Zealand High Commissioner Jonathan Curr, Anglican church of Melanesia Rev Wilfred Kekea, Solomon Islands Scouts & Coastwatchers Mr Michael Ben, Solomon Islands Scouts Association chief commissioner Mr Joe Billy Oge, Solomon Islands Girls Guides Association commissioner Rosalind Manekaea, Halo Trust, St Johns Ambulance Chief Executive officer Michael Andrew and Westminster Foundation for Democracy Country Director Vatina Devesi.

Delivering his opening remarks at the British High Commissioner’s official residence, Tanuli Ridge, yesterday, Commissioner Turner said that 8 May was commemorated to pay tribute to the heroism that defeated fascism in Europe and Asia.

“Eighty years ago, on the 8th of May 1945, Germany surrendered its forces to the Allies, marking the end of World War II,” said Turner.

“Three months later, the war in the Pacific also came to an end. It was the most devastating conflict in history. And today we pay tribute to the heroism that defeated fascism in Europe and Asia,” he said.

“We particularly remember today the fighters, the resistance fighters, the Allied soldiers who gave their lives confronting Hitler’s Nazi Germany and its Allies. And out of that emerged what we thought and what we hope, and still hope, is a new consensus that the multilateral system would somehow enable us to be working together to guarantee security of all sizes of countries,” Turner added.

He said that there was a new embedded belief that the United Nations and other multilateral organisations and Institutions would somehow be a front against future injustice and aggression.

“So today I want to say that I’m honoured to have the company of you who are here. All our countries have gone through war in different ways, and we are here to remember those who have fought against aggression, some 80 years ago. So, let’s remember that, and let’s be together in ensuring that justice and international law will continue into the future,” Turner concludes.

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BY LORETTA B MANELE

Norman Palmer School farewelled Colin Butler, a former headmaster and teacher from the United Kingdom and now a trustee of the Melanesian Mission UK (United Kingdom).

Butler came to Solomon Islands in 2011 as a headteacher exchange and came to the school for a short period of time.

Back then, the school compound was quite different as compared to today.

Speaking to the paper, Butler said he returned again in 2013 and this time it was very important for him and his family accompanied him to Solomon Islands.

“So, my wife was also a teacher, and my two sons spent time actually being pupils here, so they went to classes, and this is where we actually did the signing of the agreement.”

During this year, he alongside late Archbishop David Vunagi and British High Commissioner at the time did a ground breaking ceremony of where a new classroom building stands today.

“I have now sat and stood and talked to children actually in that classroom, in that class, the big new one down there.

So, to do the groundbreaking, and to see the very first pegging out, but then we also did the painting, the first painting of the school, so it hadn’t been painted before, and we did the first painting.”

He expressed that this was 12 years ago and today, he is a trustee of the Melanesian Mission UK and have responsibility for school and education links.

Norman School Principal, Henry Rahemola at the farewell ceremony acknowledged the partnership between Butler and the school.

He said Butler’s visit reminds them of the important signing made with the previous administration of the school for sharing of information, to learn from each other and other avenues they may explore in the future.

Students also took the opportunity to present gifts to Butler and bid their goodbyes.

Butler highlighted that he has fallen in love with the Solomons and this trip around is very short, given it’s only two weeks.

He said his visits to other ACOM schools and RTC (Rural Training Centres) had given him an idea of future projects that the Melanesian Mission UK can do in partnership with the schools.

Butler noted that at the moment they are working on a new project which is the publication of a book to include prayers, poems and writings from Solomon Islands students and from students in the UK.

He returns to the UK this afternoon.

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BY LORETTA B MANELE

Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology (MECDM) held a review workshop at Rock Haven this week.

The ministry with support from MACBLUE (Management and Conservation of Blue Carbon Ecosystems) Project, implemented jointly by SPC, SPREP and GIZ is in the process of finalizing the Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) Mangrove Management Policy (MMP).

As stated in a concept note of the workshop program, mangrove ecosystems are critical for the environmental health and socio-economic wellbeing of Solomon Islands.

“With over 100,000 hectares (REA Report, 2024) of mangrove forests, these ecosystems provide crucial services such as shoreline protection, carbon sequestration, and sustenance for local communities.”

The policy aims to guide sustainable management and conservation of mangroves and associated Blue Carbon ecosystems, ensuring that both environmental protection and community livelihoods are upheld.

There was also discussion on the finalization of the policy, with a focus on strengthening governance, community involvement and ensuring that the policy effectively addresses key issues such as conservation, restoration, sustainable use, and monitoring of mangrove ecosystems.

The workshop seeks to provide a platform for key stakeholders within the government to assess and provide input on the latest draft of the ICZM Mangrove Management Policy and is supported by the MACBLUE Project.

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BY JOHN HOUANIHAU

The Country’s Mangrove Framework policy to manage and protect mangrove forests and ecosystems is anticipated to be launched this year.

In an interview, Agnetha Vave-Karamui, Chief Conservation Officer, Environment &Conservation Division, told Island Sun that the Mangrove Framework policy is still in draft form.

She said that the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management & Meteorology will organise an internal discussion on its stance on the important framework before consulting with stakeholders.

“We have a draft policy. Internal means we, from the Ministry of Environment, will come together and discuss the draft policy. The ministry consists of the climate division, meteorology, disaster and environment. We would look at it and see what the ministry’s position on it is,” she said.

Agnetha Vave-Karamui said that the internal meeting of the MECCDM aims to update the draft policy.

“The Management and Conservation of Blue Carbon Ecosystems (MACBLUE) project will play a vital role in the formulation of the Policy. The data from the MACBLUE project will be used to update the policy. After that, we will go out to stakeholders for the final consultation and launch,” she said.

She said that the MECCDM aims to finalise the Mangrove Framework policy around June or September this year before its launch.

She said that the policy framework would allow the government and its partners to work together with communities to protect and manage the mangrove forest and ecosystem in the Solomon Islands.

“It is to see what the government thought about the mangrove ecosystem and sea grass. The government does not have a policy to support communities in this matter at the national level to protect the mangrove forest. This will allow the government to collaborate with partners to set priorities in the management of mangrove forests,” she said.

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BY JOHN HOUANIHAU

British High Commissioner to Solomon Islands Paul Turner has described the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine in Europe as a sad reality.

Mr Turner said when he made his opening remarks at the event to mark the Victory in Europe Day (VE Day) 80th anniversary held at the British High Commissioner’s official residence yesterday.

“We’re here today to honour those who gave their lives in that fight against aggression during World War Two (WWII). But the sad reality is that a new war is waging in Europe today. And all those institutions that were created in some cases just weeks after May 1945 are looking very vulnerable,” said Turner.

He said that there is a new form of fascism rising in Europe, coming from the East, and it seems to be unbridled and unaddressed by many in the multilateral system.

“The multilateral system is doing its best, but there are challenges,” he said.

He said that Russia’s full-scale war of aggression, which started in February 22, continues today, where Ukraine’s guaranteed sovereignty and territorial integrity is under threat and the fundamental rights that Russia itself signed up to in the Charter of the United Nations are now looking to be ripped up and thrown in the bin. Indiscriminate acts by Russia on civilians, infrastructure, executions, torture, continue week in, week out,” said Turner.

He said that while the fall of the Berlin Wall was seen as the end of history in Europe, the current conflict was a new beginning.

“In a way, we were perhaps naive. But what’s crucial is that Ukrainians made their choice, and that’s a choice that Vladimir Putin’s Russia refuses to accept today. So, amongst the hard lessons that we British and Europeans have learned from the Second World War, it’s that the most fundamental rules of international law must always be protected,” he said.

He said that Ukraine is now on the front line of the fight against tyranny and those who want to destroy international law.

“That’s why my government will continue to stand by other governments in Europe and the world to support Ukraine and to get a just end to the war,” Turner concludes.

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