By Tupuola Terry Tavita

  Samoa has the freest media in the Pacific.

That is the opinion of Samoa Observer editor-in-chief Savea Sano Malifa during a Pacific media networks conference last week at the National University, Papaigalagala Campus.

The conference was originally scheduled to be held at the USP campus in Suva but – at the last minute – was rejected by the military regime in power there. So it was relocated to Samoa, though the oragnisers have been struggling with finances due to late bookings and flight cancellations.

Savea told regional colleagues during the meeting;

“Samoa has the freest media in the Pacific or anywhere else. You can criticize government and tell the Prime Minister where he can go.

“It also helps because he is so bloody arrogant and his response would be you’re either dumb or stupid.

“The media in Samoa has a very good relationship with the Prime Minister.

Savea believes if the conference organizers had asked government for financial help “..I have no doubt in my mind that government would’ve paid for everything.�?

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