Choi appointed as PINA’s new president

NEW PINA BOARD: (L-R) Charles Sumbe (Television Rep - Vanuatu), Rose Amos (Online Rep - PNG), Neville Choi (President), Lisa Osifelo (Vice President), Viola Ulakai (Radio Rep - Tonga), Frank Genaia (Print Rep - PNG) and Tipi Auganavaia (National Media Associations Rep - Samoa) - Pic - PINA

PRESIDENT of the Media Council of Papua New Guinea (MCPNG), Neville Choi has been recognised by the membership of the Pacific Island News Association (PINA) to lead a new team of Board Executives until regional media gathers again in Port Moresby for the 9th Pacific Media Summit in 2028.

Choi was one of two nominations at PINA’s Annual General Meeting at the Summit which was held in Savusavu in Fiji’s Northern province on September 25th. Also nominated for the position of President was sitting president Kalafi Moala.

THE OUTGOING PINA BOARD: NMA Rep Neville Choi (PNG), President Kalafi Moala (Tonga), Vice President Leilani Reklai (Palau), TV Rep Esther Pavihi (Niue), Print Rep Fred Wesley (Fiji), and Radio Rep Katalina Tohi (Tonga). Pic: PINA

Moala, who was elected President at the 7th Pacific Media Summit in 2024, withdrew his nomination, while expressing deep appreciation and acknowledgement that if there was any current Pacific Media leader who could take the regional media body forward, it would be Choi, because of the work done to strengthen PNG media in recent years.

“It is with great excitement and best wishes that I wish to congratulate you on your election as PINA President. I cannot think of anyone more suited to lead us in the next 2 years and beyond.

“I have seen with my own eyes the effectiveness of your work in PNG. The close comradeship we've enjoyed in the last 2 years, have made me so grateful that I got to know you and work with you.

“I am also grateful for a great team of new board members elected to serve with you,” Moala said in a private message to Choi and the new PINA Executives following the Board’s inception.

The new PINA Executive Board is:

President: 𝑁𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑒 𝐶ℎ𝑜𝑖 (𝑃𝑁𝐺)

Vice President: 𝐿𝑖𝑠𝑎 𝑂𝑠𝑖𝑓𝑒𝑙𝑜 (𝑆𝑜𝑙𝑜𝑚𝑜𝑛 𝐼𝑠𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑠)

Print Media Representative: 𝐹𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑘 𝐺𝑒𝑛𝑎𝑖𝑎 (𝑃𝑁𝐺)

Television Representative: 𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝑆𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒 (𝑉𝑎𝑛𝑢𝑎𝑡𝑢)

Radio Representative: 𝑉𝑖𝑜𝑙𝑎 𝑈𝑙𝑎𝑘𝑎𝑖 (𝑇𝑜𝑛𝑔𝑎)

Online/Digital Media Representative: 𝑅𝑜𝑠𝑒 𝐴𝑚𝑜𝑠 (𝑃𝑁𝐺)

National Media Association Representative: 𝑇𝑖𝑝𝑖 𝐴𝑢𝑡𝑎𝑔𝑎𝑣𝑎𝑖𝑎 (𝑆𝑎𝑚𝑜𝑎)

Choi said despite there being a dominant Papua New Guinean and Melanesian presence on the new board, the overall vision and scope of PINA and its membership to be more inclusive and responsive to the needs of the small island states members of PINA.

NEW LEADERSHIP: PINA President Neville Choi (MCPNG - Papua New Guinea) and Vice President LIsa Osifelo (Tavuli News - Solomon Islands) PIC: PINA

“While the two biggest countries in the Pacific, Fiji and Papua New Guinea currently enjoy support for media from their respective governments, there are still governments and national leadership in the Pacific which, for reasons of their own, which see the media as a threat, when it should not be the case. We will speak for and represent all the media in the Pacific,” Choi said, adding that PNG’s bid to host the next PINA Pacific Media Summit in 2028 was a calling for the PNG media industry to step up to the challenge of hosting and showcasing Papua New Guinea to the region and the world.

ENDS…//