A democracy ceases to be a democracy if its citizens do not participate in its governance.
That’s Ombudsman, Maiava Iulai Toma, believes.
He was speaking during the celebration of World Press Freedom Day 2014 hosted at the National University of Samoa on Friday night.
About 50 students, reporters, editors and other news workers from different media attended this event with Maiava the keynote speaker of the night.
He began by quoting former US broadcast journalist Walter Cronkite.
“That democracy ceases to be a democracy if its citizens do not participate in its governance is a truism which almost automatically forces one to be curious about the extent ordinary citizens’ participate in governance.”
Maiava asked invited guests to focus on this “short bold statement” from the former United States broadcast journalist.
“Government and democracy, after all, is said to be government of the people by the people and for the people.”
“Formal structures as we know are put in place to facilitate all of that but do the people really participate in governance in a meaningful way?”
“I believe every citizen must ask this question to themselves about the democracy to which he belongs and in which he lives.”
“If the answer to intelligent inquiry is ‘yes’ then, rather good. If however one senses the answer is to be ‘not really’ or, even worse, ‘a bit’ no then one must ask why.”
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Maiava then read the full quote from Cronkite:
“A democracy ceases to be a democracy, if its citizens do not participate in its governance. To participate intelligently, they must know what their government has done, is doing and plans to do in their names. Whenever any hindrance, no matter what its name, is placed in the way of this information, a democracy is weakened, and its future endangered. This is the meaning of freedom of the press. It is not just important to democracy, it is democracy.”
“The main motive of free press is to cater to the people’s right to know,” he said.
“In everything I’ve ever learned, there must be limits so what parameters ought to be set by government in the discharge of this mandate? “Truth and accuracy logically commend themselves as companion goals or objectives in this important task and making sure all occurs with regard to these aspects,” he said, “to avoid people being harmed by the press.”
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“This was simply a matter of being responsible for what one does,” he said.
But he did not think that media mistakes were a reason to seek to control the news.
“As somebody has pointed out if all print newspapers were not to print anything until they were certain that everything was okay and sure that the printing wouldn’t harm or offend, there will be very little printed.”
Samoa Observer Editor Mata’afa Keni Lesa, raised the debate point from earlier in the day, is media freedom visible in the development of Samoa?
“First question, is it visible? Yes it is and the reason being is because I’m standing here. The Samoa Observer exists because press freedom is alive in Samoa.”
“But we talk about these things and say it’s wonderful that we have a media but what is a media? What really is the work of the media? Why are we here? Are we just here to make up the numbers?”
“We shouldn’t. We are here to make a difference. There are so many ways that you can make a difference.”
“I will say that one of the best ways that you can make a difference – and through that contribute to the development of our country – is by doing what the media is supposed to do.”
“Firstly, we exist to hold our leaders accountable. We are not here to make friends. The media exists to ask questions.”
“We are here as watchdogs of the government. We are here to follow and tell you how your money is spent, and if it’s going to the right places, how our poor taxpayers money are spent, if it’s spent well.”
“And we are also here to inform our readers and audiences so they can make informed decisions.”
Hosted by N.U.S lecturer Misa Vicky Lepou, other speakers included Apulu Lance Polu of Talamua and Unasa Felise Va’a of the Iniini Newspaper.
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