By Ekei-Lalii Remengesau
The Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) has selected Palau to host the 4th Pacific Media Summit in February 2016.
Palau should expect up to 200 delegates including north and south pacific media professionals, academics, development partners, technical experts, as well as young and upcoming journalists.
Olkeriil Kazuo Deputy Press Secretary to President Remengesau attended the PINA Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Noumea, New Caledonia where he presented the President’s letter of interest to host the summit. The letter was received by PINA President Moses Stevens.
When President Remengesau’s letter was tabled to the AGM the PINA Board of Directors moved to suspend the bidding process to lock Palau as the next host of the Pacific Media Summit.
Makereta Komai, the Acting Manager of the PINA secretariat told OTV that, “there were verbal expressions of interest from Vanuatu and Solomon Islands but when President Remengesau’s letter was tabled to the AGM, all PINA members endorsed Palau’s bid for 2016.”
Komai further revealed that the decision was received with a lot of applause and excitement from PINA members.
The 3rd Pacific Media Summit was attended by Deputy Press Secretary Olkeriil Kazuo of the President’s office, Mr. Kambes Kesolei of Tia Belau Newspaper, and Mike Fox of OTV.
The Republic of Palau is the lone member of PINA from the north pacific as represented by Oceania Television Network (OTV), a local and regional television news station.