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Media – to enhance the lives of people and to bring peace and harmony

 

HONIARA: 30th October 2005 --  Media training  involving young Solomon Islanders continues through a series of gatherings in the capital, Honiara, conducted by the Director, Catholic Communications, Fr Ambrose Pereira sdb.  The weekend sessions bring in local media persons from the Government, private and Catholic sector, to interact with students.  Occasionally these sessions are held in regional centres - which effectively means on other islands in the archipelago.    
    Last weekend, at one such gathering in Honiara, John Lamani, publisher of the Honiara-based paper Solomon Star, spoke to those gathered via a video presentation: “There is a real need for students and people who want to learn more - to use the media, as much as possible, to read papers, to listen to the radio, to watch TV,  as all these are a part of the development of a country.  Media plays an important role in decision-making to guide the country, the politicians and the church leaders, and all the members of the community – as they check on all the balances – spending, decision-making, for the benefit of a people", he said.  
    The students claim to have learned much from these presentations; school principals and teachers in attendance have become more convinced of the need to develop media education in the school context. “We’ve heard, we’ve seen and we hope we will play a greater part in the programme”, stated Benedict Esibaea, principal at St. John’s school, Rove.  “We have resources at our disposal and it is up to us to do things”, he continued. “It has given our students the opportunity to build up confidence in themselves and also built up a camaraderie among the schools and the animators”, stated Oliva Doblas, teacher at Don Bosco, Henderson.  
    “Truth, justice, peace and harmony are obvious needs for the Solomon islands and the Media can play its role to build up the same”, said Fr. Ambrose Pereira as he thanked the participants, animators, students all those connected in this important aspect of the Media for their contribution to assist the students by way of transport, food and other materials.  Looking ahead he hopes that the students will gradually enter into the world of images, producing short programmes on issues of importance – as Television is not far away from Solomon Islands. 
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