giovedì 2 agosto 2018

Bougainville in line for shortwave radio restoration

The Papua New Guinea government is contemplating restoring short wave radio services to Bougainville, after they were shut down during the civil war.

This comes as the region prepares for a referendum on possible independence, expected to be held next June.

The Bougainville regional member in the PNG parliament, Joe Lera, has raised concerns that the region's mostly rural population lacks access to information.

He said in the absence of other media these people can be won over by groups like former combatants pushing just one view - that of independence.

Mr Lera said the Minister of Communications, Sam Basil, will take a team from the national broadcaster to Bougainville later this month.

"His thinking is two options. One, national government to immediately buy two shortwave transmitters and bring Radio Bougainville back to where it was before the crisis, and two, we want to keep FM. He is also talking national government paying for two FM transmitters."