As 2009 and the decade draws to a close, let’s now take a look back on a year which has seen some momentous events take place in this, our Pacific home. Bookended by the intractable political situation in Fiji and Papua New Guinea’s unchartered future with its new energy wealth, the year 2009 will instead be remembered for its deadly disasters.
While we’ve been concentrating on the Copenhagen conference for the past couple of months, many other stories grabbed the headlines over the past year. So here’s a look back at the nearly 2,500 stories produced by Pacific Beat in 2009.
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The year 2009, seen through the eyes of Radio Australia’s Pacific Beat team. And that special was compiled by our Senior Producer, Adam Connors.
Presenter: Geraldine Coutts, Bruce Hill, Sam Seke, Helene Hofman, Campbell Cooney
Speaker: Dr Tharid Ali, medical officer of Western Division; Rajendra Prasad, Director of the Fiji Meteological Services; Major Neumi Leweni, spokesman for the Fiji interim government; Steve Marshall, Indonesia Correspondent; Commodore Frank Bainimarama, Fiji interim Prime Minister; Tupuola Terry Tavita, Samoa government-run Savali newspaper; Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, Samoa Prime Minister; Simon Crean, Australia Trade Minister; Joanna McCarthy, reporter; Pilo Kaelahi, Tongan guest worker; Rex Gardiner, former Publisher of Fiji Times; Anne Fussell, Publisher of Fiji Times; Nancy Galako, Papua New Guinea university hospital Sister-in-Charge; Firmin Nanol, reporter; Kevin Rudd, Australia Prime Minister; Phil Twyford, NZ Labour party spokesman; Jemima Garrett, reporter; George Lavaki, journalist on tour of Tonga volcano; Netani Rika, Editor of Fiji Times; Sir Terepai Maoate, Cook Islands Deputy Prime Minister; Kerri Ritchie, NZ Correspondent; Fran McGrath, Director of NZ Public Health; Hillary Clinton, US Secretary of State; Ian Lloyd, former Fiji Court of Appeal judge; Sean Dorney, Pacific Correspondent for Australia Network; Murray Green, head of ABC International; Dixon Seeto, Fiji Hotels Association Chairman; Archbishop Desmond Tutu; Sir Michael Somare, PNG Prime Minister; Augustine Wampe, PNG Provincial Police Commander; Noel Anjo Kolae, Protest Organiser; Sir Mereke Morautu, PNG opposition leader; Varimosi Mausio, mother of kidnapped Fiji sailor; Sapalina Samasoni, sister of kidnapped Tuvalu sailor; Paul Aphoy, Vice President of Fiji Nuclear Veterans Association; Kate McPherson, reporter; Sandra Pierentozzi, Palau Minister of State; daughters of Martin Clemens; Pesi Fonua, Editor of Tongan online news service Matangi Tonga; Elisapeta Ofa, relative of Tonga ferry victims; Salote Lilo, Tonga community leader in NZ; Paul Karalus, Tonga Marine and Ports Minister; Maka Tuputupu, Captain of MV Princess Ashika; Liam Fox, PNG Correspondent; Sir Paul Reeves, Commonwealth representative; Peter Marshall, Solomon Island Police Commissioner; William Duma, PNG Petroleum and Energy Minister; Christine Webster, reporter; Nathan Becker, Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre; Alan Ah Mu, witness of Samoa tsunami; Adrian Prowse, Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management New Zealand; Faleomavaega Eni Hunkin, American Samoa Congressman; Dr Ben Matalavea, Samoa GP; Robert Menzies, Australia Prime Minister at establishment of Radio Australia 20 Dec 1939; Nick Henry, partner broadcaster from Cook Islands
