“Sharing factual, informative and accurate government information carries weight and responsibility”

March 2, 2023

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Government Press Secretariat – Articulated in her Mission to “Ensure a well-governed, safe, and informed Samoa,” the Ministry of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, (MPMC) this week Tuesday held its 3rd Annual Communication Information Liaison Officers Network (CLON) forum.

CLON was established three years ago to organise and strengthen the internal network responses by respective Communication divisions and officers within government – to disseminate factual and timely information to stakeholders.

Since its formation, CLON’s reach outside of the government sector has included independent media outlets, development partners, the private sector, and the general public worldwide.

CLON is also part of the internal Communication Strategy Plan monitored by the MPMC’s Press and Communication Division (Savali Newspaper and Government Press Secretariat).

“It aims to strengthen the Government’s information sharing capacity for stakeholders to make informed decisions based on fact and not fiction,” said Agafili Shem Leo.

The event was attended by more than 40 Government Communication Officers.

During his keynote address the MPMC Chief Executive Officer stressed the value and importance of sharing factual and accurate government information with the public.

“Sharing factual, informative, and accurate government information carries a lot of weight and responsibility,” Agafili highlights.

“It reflects the accountability of not just ourselves as public servants, but most importantly carries the weight of Governments’ accountability to ensure our people, that we are working for their benefit and in their best interest.”

With the global informational networks under siege from the unregulated social media, government efforts via CLON, complemented by the recently launched internal Informed Samoa Policy, are in place to minimise the fables and distorted chatter condemning and criticising government without proof littering the social media.

The objectives of this week’s forum include;

• To further strengthen the coordination and partnership between communication liaison officers and the Press and Communication Division in sharing the responsibilities to effectively disseminate factual government information in a timely manner.

• To review and revisit the outcomes from previous forums, including identifying and addressing weaknesses and raising issues, in order to strengthen and improve communication partnership networks across government.

• To prepare and coordinate information sharing and public responses.

• to strengthen networks between the government and independent media.