Journos trained on enviro-extract issues

BY ALFRED PAGEPITU

Journalists have been trained in reporting on extractive industries and endemic species in Solomon Islands.

This was during a three-day workshop last week in Honiara.

This workshop is jointly organised by Internews’ Earth Journalism Network (EJN) and the Media Association of Solomon Islands (MASI).

The workshop urged journalists to focus their news to report accurately and more intensively on biodiversity issues and the impacts of covid-19 on the environment, to educate people.

Internews’ EJN coordinator for the Solomon Islands Priestly Habru, told participants that the organisers acknowledge that the media has a significant role to play in raising public awareness and with it, the ability to generate public demand for better policies and encourage policymakers to act.

“This workshop aims to improve the knowledge and skills of Solomon Islands Journalists in reporting on environmental governance of extractive industries and endemic species trade as well as the importance of conversation.”

He challenged journalists to fill that reporting gap by featuring affected people and how to help them.

“We expected that participants would be go back to their newsroom and impart the knowledge gain to their subordinates and peers,” he said.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment Dr Melchior Mataki said the media’s role to accurately and fairly report on environmental issues to raise public awareness, generate public demand for better policies and laws, and encourage policy makers, government authorities, private sector and the public at large to act and comply with environmental policies and legislation cannot be over-emphasised.

“Media’s role as a watchdog of Government’s decisions, actions and inactions is equally important as well. In this connection, I wish to thank MASI and your partners for putting together this training workshop, and for the invitation that enable my participation,” he said.

More than 10 journalists who attended a three-day workshop conducted by the MASI, in partnership with the Internews’ Earth Journalism Network (EJN), were given certificates and assigned tasks after receiving the training.

Presenters were from the Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Mines and Energy, MASI, EJN and Editors.

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