Pacific Island Times Vol 3 No. 5 May 2019 | Page 4

FROM THE PUBLISHER’S DESK Reporting in the Pacific I n every small community, truth-telling is not an easy job, especially when the truth gives discomfort to some. Sometimes, it comes with consequences. “Democracies across Asia and the Pacific are struggling to re- sist disinformation and protect press freedoms, the Pacific Media Center said, citing an increase in self-censorship of journalists in parts of the Pacific last year. “Although Pacific Island countries general- ly rose in press freedom rankings, Reporters Without Borders was also concerned about an absence of edito- rial independence,” PMC said. The Reporters Without Borders cited the case of Papua New Guinea, where journalists faced intimidation, direct threats, censorship, prosecution and bribery attempts. Self-censorship was also on the rise in Tonga, where politicians have sued media outlets and keeps tight controls over state media. Samoa was “in the process of losing its status as a regional press freedom model.” While Guam is a U.S. territory that benefits from First Amendment, the local media have their own challeng- es to deal with. Threats of expul- sion are quite unlikely, but media organizations may face “economic sanctions.” Guam is a small market, where the government and businesses form a disastrous nexus. You hit the wrong chord, say goodbye to your advertising revenue. Yap has just been added to the list of islands, where journalists struggle to buck pressure from the powerful. And our very own correspondent Joyce McClure has become a target of assault, facing expulsion from the 4 Publisher/Editor-in-Chief Mar-Vic Cagurangan [email protected] island for her probing reports about shady investments, questionable gov- ernment contracts and other shenani- gans in public offices. We regret Yap’s Coun- cil of Pilung’s demand to have Joyce McClure sent out of Yap and declared persona non grata. We regret such an attempt to silence a journalist and curtail freedom of the press. Ms McClure, an Amer- ican citizen who has been a resident of Yap for three years, is the Pacific Island Times’ correspondent in Yap. She also writes for other regional and inter- national media outlets. Among the recent stories Ms Joyce has written include a private com- pany’s apparent attempt to bribe the newly installed state officials. Ms Joyce reported that Yap Gov. Henry Falan and Lt. Gov. Jesse John Salalu rejected the gift bag containing a bot- tle of Chivas Regal and an envelope filled with crispy dollar bills amount- ing to $4,000, which the company sent during the officials’ Jan. 14 inauguration. Last year, we published Ms Mc- Clure’s investigative story about Chinese commercial harvesting Yap fish with local help. In another report, Mc McClure exposed a Chinese in- vestor’s attempt to take over several pieces of private lands for a mega resort complex project in Colonia. The management team of the Pacific Island Times supports Ms McClure. We have confidence in her competence and integrity. We value her journalistic contributions. Her unrelenting efforts to cover govern- ment affairs and community events in Yap provide valuable information not just to the local community but the regional community, as well. We disagree with the council’s claim that Ms Joyce’s “journalistic activities “[have] been or may be disruptive to the state environment.” Her reporting provides transparency, which is vital to every democratic society. The Pacific Island Times and Ms McClure have no agenda other than to fill the gap in regional reporting and provide truthful information to the people of the Pacific region. She is doing this job not as an outsider but as a member of the community, which has become home to her. Expelling Ms McClure out of the country would set a dangerous prec- edent that puts anyone in FSM– not just the media –in danger of being punished for speaking up. It can be an effective tool of harassment and intimidation to suppress free speech and free press. But to quote Rappler’s Maria Ressa, “We will continue to hold the line.” The Pacific Island Times and Ms McClure have no agenda other than to fill the gap in regional reporting and provide truthful information to the people of the Pacific region. Associate Editor Bruce Lloyd [email protected] Associate Editor (Pacific Note/Palau) Ongerung Kambes Kesolei [email protected] Contributing Writers Raquel Bagnol Zaldy Dandan Jayne Flores Ken Leon Guerrer Theodore Lewis Diana Mendoza Joseph Meyers Jonathan Perez Alex Rhowuniong Joy Santamarina Julius Santos Johanna Salinas Visual Editor Mar-Vic Cagurangan Sales and Marketing Executive Jan SN Furukawa [email protected] Account Executive Anna Marie Alegre [email protected] Administraitive Assistant Lolita Therrel [email protected] *** Pacific Independent News Service LLC Tumon Sands Plaza 1082 Pale San Vitores Rd. Tumon Guam 96931 Telephone: [phone] Email: [email protected] Website: www.pacificislandtimes.com The Pacific Island Times is published monthly and circulated in Guam and Palau by the Pacific Independent News Service LLC. Editorial and advertising submissions become property of the Pacific Island Times and cannot be lifted without consent of the publisher. Views and opinions from contributors do not necessarily represent the editorial position of the Pacific Island Times.