Question Us, says Dame Meg to Media

Media preparing for this week’s Forum Econom­ic Ministers’ Meeting (FEMM) have been urged to ques­tion policy makers.

Forum Secretary-General Dame Meg Taylor told media it was the first-time regional journalists have covered the FEMM so extensively.

“You are pioneers,” she said.

“I don’t see media as just an in­strument for reporting. You have a tremendous role in forming substan­tive policy by questioning us,” Dame Meg said.

There are many issues that Dame Meg would like to see media debate – from economic issues going before the Ministers this week to the Sus­tainable Development Goals (SDGs), health. Climate finance and more.

“The SDG’s – are huge for this re­gion,” Dame Meg said

“On health we are declining right across the region and on the quality of education. Challenge us, debate it with us, ask us when what we say we are going to do hasn’t worked,” she said.

Around 15 journalists from Fiji and the region are attending a workshop to prepare them to cover FEMM.This year’s FEMM will have a strong focus on climate change and infra­structure financing.

On Monday, journalists discussed how to break down the jargon that surrounds economic issues, why Pacific resilience matters, issues on good debt and bad debt, infrastruc­ture and climate finance basics, and the key institutions.

Infrastructure projects are some of the most expensive outlays govern­ments will ever make and are face many challenges from a known risk corruption to simple cost overruns.

The workshop was told transparen­cy and good quality news reporting are vital if tax payers money is not to be lost.

The theme of this year’s FEMM is “Towards a Resilient and Sustain­able Pacific”.

Dame Meg is a prominent Papua New Guinea lawyer and diplomat, has worked for the World Bank Group, and served on leading boards as a director.

Issues on the Ministers’ agenda include:

-Overview of current and emerging global economic issues and their po­tential impact on Pacific economies

-Financing Resilience and Co-In­vestment in the Pacific

-Climate and Disaster Risk Finance and Insurance

Finance Ministers and their delega­tions from all 18 Pacific Islands Fo­rum member countries will attend the meeting.

Associate members and develop­ment partners will attend as observ­ers to FEMM.

The FEMM opens today at the

Forum Secretariat in Suva.

Feedback: lusiana.tuimaisala@fijisun.com.fj