The Media Association of Solomon Islands [MASI] welcomes World Press Freedom Day with a celebration in Honiara.
Local journalists gathered to commemorate the occasion at the King Solomon Hotel Saturday with invited guests including Prime Minister Dr. Derek Sikua, Deputy Secretary General for Solomon Islands National Commission for UNESCO, Aseri Yalangono and Publisher of the Fiji Sun, Russell Hunter.Speaking on this year's theme "Freedom of Expression, Access and Empowerment", Mr. Yalangono said that freedom of information alone cannot guarantee access, such as national and international news.
"There are three things every journalists must remember. The first is to provide quality and accurate information to people, secondly, quality and universal provision of quality education for all must be provided so that information given out to people must be correct and accurate and thirdly, freedom of expressions founding good governance and technology," Mr. Yalangono reminded journalists.
He encouraged them to work professionally and be good media reporters of Solomon Islands.
Mr. Yalangono also highlighted online media as "a very important source of telling people about the happenings".
"Internet is becoming another important source of passing on information," he said.
Mr. Yalangono also took the time to pay tribute to journalists who were killed while doing their job.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sikua was honoured to be the first patron of Honiara Press Club of Solomon Islands, which is the first of its kind in the country.