Here is the speech by the Deputy Prime Minister of Fiji and Minister for Finance Hon. Professor Biman Prasad, at the 2024 Pacific International Media Conference official dinner and book launch at the Holiday Inn, Suva on 4 July.
It gives me great pleasure to speak at the 2024 Pacific International Media Conference. My warmest welcome to so many of you.
I am pleased to share this moment with my co-editors Dr Shailendra Singh and Dr Amrit Sarwal. We are honoured to celebrate the launch of our co-edited book, Waves of Change: Media, Peace, and Development in the Pacific with you. Several of our contributors who are here in person, and I acknowledge those who are not here in person.
I begin my remarks this evening by remembering one of the giants of Pacific journalism, the first local editor of Fiji Times – the late Vijendra Kumar who sadly passed away earlier this year. To his family, I extend my deepest condolences and express Fiji’s appreciation for his service to our great country.
To the media fraternity, my sincere tribute to this gentle giant of our region. The late Vijendra Kumar inspired many – especially in those difficult years when newly independent Pacific countries were establishing their national media outlets and capabilities.
As well, I take this opportunity to warmly congratulate my former USP colleague, Professor David Robie on two major milestones: His well-deserved New Zealand Order of Merit award, and the 30th anniversary of the Pacific Journalism Review.
His recognition is so well deserved. It speaks to a lifetime of service to our region; to helping develop talent and to inspiring our region. Vinaka vakalevu Professor David.
The 30th anniversary of the Pacific Journalism Review is a remarkable milestone. I am proud of this achievement and so proud of David’s continued leadership on the PJR across these decades.
Our vision, as co-editors of Waves of Change was to bring together thought leaders to reflect on some of foundational challenges our region faces. I am pleased that it has been received positively and generated much discussion.
Academic research is fundamental to the progress of our region. Its ideas; its truths; its data are fundamental to framing solutions to our many problems.
But we do have a Houston problem? The rise of AI, social media the internet age pose challenges. Research must be accessible to the public foremostly. They fund your research. You are making your own case for better funding for research if wider public is able to access, understand and ultimately make use of your research.
The information age is crowded. Researchers need to find new ways of cutting through this crowded space.
To my former academic friends, this is a moment of change. You need to meet the moment. How can you better socialize your research so that it reaches society directly and bypassing the “information-handlers” who will re-interpret; mis-interpret and ill-interpret your research?
Business as usual will be self-defeating. Our broader Pacific societies need to be able to access your work. They need to know why your work matters to them and why they should fund your work.
The Waves of Change combines experiential wisdom with research to discuss development and progress across our region. Our contributors reflect on peace, stability, and democracy challenges in our region.
In Fiji, we have paid a high price for being unable to protect freedom of media. As an economy we have paid a high price. Trust me – I know that in a deeply personal way when I see the debt numbers I inherited as the Finance Minister. As a society we have paid a high price.
One of our first actions as the Coalition Government was to repeal the restrictive Media Act and we reintroduced media self-regulation. This is how important media freedom is to us as a Government.
I am delighted to see the Fiji Media Council featured at this conference. Its Chairperson, Ms. Agatha Ferei Furivai, will be addressing the Conference.
I take this opportunity to thank my co-editor, Dr Shailendra Singh, the USP Journalism coordinator, and his team, for organising this conference.
Dr Singh was an excellent journalist. I remember his in-depth articles in the Review magazine—not that I always agreed with his political analysis! He has made a wonderful transition. He now leads the training and development of journalists for our whole region and indeed well beyond. I am personally very proud of this.
USP’s Journalism work is crucial for the development of Pacific media. It is crucial for the continued decolonization of Pacific’s media. It is crucial for getting the Pacific’s voices; its own analysis; and its own stories presented and heard internationally – especially in forums where Pacific’s futures are often decided upon.
I urge our development partners to work with our institutions and support our institutions and Pacific Islanders to tell our stories and share our perspectives – not tell our stories from your perspectives. That practice harms us.
Our book is our humble and small contribution to taking forward this vision.
In societies like ours, media has a far too important role to play in promoting equitable and inclusive development. Western media standards often rest uneasily in our national and cultural settings.
Both Government’s and media need to self-reflect and examine their roles vis-à-vis each other. I have great faith that your Conference will provide helpful and refreshing insights and ideas on how we approach and frame media-government-society relationships in the Pacific.
Thank you, Vinaka vakalevu, and Dhanyavad.
