The regional member for Papua New Guinea’s autonomous province of Bougainville says setting up a television station is crucial as the province prepares for its eventual referendum on independence.
Joe Lera recently visited Dunedin in New Zealand, where he’s been in discussions with a TV producer to help set up a TV station.
He says since the height of the civil war in the 1990s, the only medium available is Radio Bougainville which only reaches a few people.
He says only people in urban areas own television sets, and most can only access one station from PNG but his plan is to introduce satellite television which would reach the whole province.
“So that my people can have television to easily access information on all aspects of government and development and that sort of thing. In light of the referendum I think it will play a major role in awareness to the people.”
Lera says grants from the national government would fund the project.
Bougainville is to conduct the referendum some time after 2015.
BUKA, (RNZI)
