PINA controversy: editor response

My father:

Editor's note: I sympathize with your sentiment about your father's Media Freedom Award, but Tavake is an innocent bystander who has been caught in a cross fire between the PINA Board and the organising committee of the 2007 PINA convention in Honiara.

I was a member of the PINA Board, representing the national media organisations in the board when we finalised the program and all the media awards for this year at the end of April. It was agreed upon by the PINA Board that there would be no Media Freedom Award this year. Unfortunately, the decision of the board was changed by some people in Honiara who decided to award a Media Freedom Award to Tavake. Following the awards night, which was the last night of the convention, our Board expressed our disappointment over the presentation of the award without the consent of the Board, and its implications for Tavake who is currently awaiting trial charged with defamation and sedition.

So there is nothing personal between me, you and your father and his award. Our position is that it is unfortunate that Tavake was caught in a cross fire between our Board and the people in Honiara who decided to give Tavake a Media Freedom Award."