Kalafi Moala, a veteran in regional media, and Leilani Reklai, a well-known journalist from Palau, have been elected as the new President and Vice President of the Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) Board. The election was held this morning during the PINA Board meeting in Niue.
Moala received 22 out of 36 votes, succeeding Kora Nou from Papua New Guinea, who was the outgoing President and also a candidate for the position. Leilani Reklai secured 29 votes to assume the Vice Presidency, competing against Iliesa Tora from RNZ Pacific.
Following his election, Moala expressed gratitude to the members for their trust, pledging to lead PINA in advocating for the interests of media in the Pacific region. Reklai, describing her election as an honor, highlighted that PINA now reflects the media diversity of both northern and southern Pacific regions, as well as smaller newsrooms crucial to numerous island nations. She conveyed her eagerness to work alongside the Board to enhance the Pacific media landscape.