Nuku’alofa, Tonga – November 27, 2020 (PCREEE): Pacific Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (PCREEE) staff were joined by media officers from the Department of Information, Energy, Environment and a journalist from the Nuku’alofa Times online media at a media and communication training here in Nuku’alofa this week. Facilitated by the Pacific Environment Journalists Network (PEJN), Department of Environment and the Masani Environmental Care Association (MECA), the training, held at the PCREEE office here in Nuku’alofa, focused on writing effective press releases, photography, video production and editing.

Jesse Benjaman, PCREEE’s Program Delivery Officer, said the organization needed the training to help them learn new tips and skills that would help them in the work and partnerships with  its key stakeholders and partners within the region and around the world.

“The media training is a rare opportunity for many of us at PCREEE including the participants from the Ministry of MEIDECC. The training is helping us to develop better and more professional Press Releases, Photos and Videos. We are glad that the training is of benefit to other staff of the Ministry of MEIDECC as well,” Mr Benjaman said.

Lead facilitator Iliesa Tora representing PEJN and the Environment Department said the importance of getting the basics right is always important.

“It is critical that you get the basics right. That means knowing what you want the public to know, why you want them to know that and who you want to focus on,” he said.

“Then knowing the questions you must answer, how to write the story or the press release and deciding the important issues you want to relay so that people can understand what is being relayed and what pictures can be used to ensure that this also ties in the with message you want to be heard.”

Mr Tora also highlighted the importance of working with networks within the media who will be able to help in ensuring that press releases are not only used but are also followed up on.

Penikoni Aleamotua of Environment and MECA shared tips on the basics of video production.

“Videos are important because people can actually see the visuals, see the work that is being done and they can understand that,” he said.

“It is very useful in promoting the work of our organisations.”

One of the participants, Tupoutoa Lataimaumi of the Information Department, said she learned new lessons during the training, especially on writing effective press releases.

“It was eye opening again to be reminded of the basics that we sometimes forget, which I found to be timely and helpful,” she said.

Department of Energy, a key partner of PCREEE, also had representatives at the training.

Falati Papani, the Institutional Capacity Planner at the department, said the training was useful for him and the work that he does.

“It was useful and I have learned a lot from press release writing and also photography, which I believe will help me in my work at the department,” he said.

“I am grateful to be part of this training and for having the opportunity to be here.”

Sakiusa Nailoloku of the Nuku’alofa Times said he learned a lot from the training and was going to use it in his work.

“I learned a lot about writing effective stories, the use of good pictures and also video production skills,” he said.

“That is going to help me a lot in the work that I do, especially in writing stories and also telling stories through videos.”

Saia Fonokalafi, who is part of the Environment Department media team, said the training was new to him.

“I am learning and this has been very helpful for me. It has definitely given me some tips that I can use in the work that I do,” he added.

The training was held from Monday, November 23 to Friday, November 27 at the PCREEE Office.

A total of 13 participants attended the training, which was funded by the Pacific Community.

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About PCREEE:
The PCREEE is hosted by the Pacific Community (SPC) at Nuku’alofa, Tonga, and is a regional entity working specifically to accelerate the Pacific Islands’ transition to renewable energy and energy efficient economies. The centre is part of a wider SDG-7 multi-stakeholder partnership which aims to establish a network of regional sustainable energy centres for small island developing states (SIDS) in Africa, the Caribbean, the Pacific and Indian Ocean. 

Note to Editors:
More photographs are available if needed.

Contact:
Please do not hesitate to contact the following people for more information:

1. Jesse Benjaman, PCREEE Program Delivery Officer, Email: benjaminj@spc.int, Phone: 25209
2. Iliesa Tora, Email: iliesatora2012@gmail.com, Phone: 8642633