THE Solomon Star officially launched its first news magazine for Malaita Province yesterday.
Malaita premier Edwin Suibaea officiated at the ceremony at provincial capital Auki.
Called the Malaita Star, the 28-page full-coloured gloss magazine will be initially published every two months.
Malaita provincial members, business house reps, and members of the public witnessed the ceremony.
Mr Suibaea described the initiative as a historic milestone for Malaita.
He said the publication would in every way help boost the once broken image of the province and its people, which he said was mostly tarnished by the media to the outside world.
“The launching of the Malaita Star marks a new era in the development of print media in Malaita Province,” he said.
“Solomon Star is the leading media company in the country as far as Malaita is concerned and to have its newest product, not to mention our province’s first ever magazine, is indeed a timely boost for our development, not only nationally but also internationally,” the premier added.
He said the news magazine will help boost the image of Malaita that had once been tarnished with reports of violence through the media.
“It is very important that we as a province share our own stories, share the good things, the real things that are currently going on in Malaita.
“The Malaita Star provides us such an avenue to achieving that.”
Solomon Star publisher Catherine Lamani said the event was also historic for her newspaper company.
“To move here and produce this new publication for Malaita proved how much the Solomon Star has grown and developed,” she said.
“It has been our long term plan to branch out and partner with the provinces to help develop our country,” Mrs Lamani said.
“We are extending an arm out and hope to develop better relations and partnership with the provincial government and businesses in Malaita with the aim of informing, educating, and making people aware of what’s happening around them.
“The Malaita Star also provides an avenue for businesses to promote and advertise their products around the province and the world,” Ms Lamani said.
She added that the Malaita Star will be published every two months with the next edition expected to be launched in July.
Mrs Lamani meanwhile, thanked everyone who has contributed towards the production and successful launch of the publication.
Story by JEREMY INIFIRI
