Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has ordered the national broadcaster of the Solomon Islands to cease broadcasting content critical of his government.
The move crystallises ongoing warnings that corrupt Pacific leaders will—with the backing of Beijing—steadily erode their country’s democratic institutions in a bid to stay in power.
According to the Island Sun newspaper, the acting chair of the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation (SIBC), William Parairato, broke the news to staff on July 28, saying all content going forward had to go through a “vetting” process to “make sure it does not create disunity.”
The SIBC has recently hosted paid talkback programmes with the National Council of Women, Transparency Solomon Islands, and opposition leader Matthew Wale—all have been critical of current Prime Minister Sogavare and a recent decision to extend parliamentary terms from four to five years….