SECRETARY-GENERAL
international media is expected to support these efforts, the local media should champion and redouble their efforts. As we celebrated Commonwealth
Day 2013, perhaps the leaders and media owners of developing Commonwealth countries should take another look at what the first leaders attempted to do: to unite the African people, particularly for economic strength. A holistic observation clearly shows that Africans had already had a very different historical background when
the Berlin Conference of 1884 was held for Europe to scramble for the continent and impose foreign languages and cultures. To date, in my view, the international community continues to treat Africa as a simple homogenous community. Africa, however, has the most diverse and heterogeneous community in the world and its cultural groups, further complicated by external factors, make it very difficult for former and current leaders to articulate their goals for true development. Therefore, the local
media must play a part, a serious part, in this process, raising the will and hope of both leaders and the ordinary people to be self-reliant. In this context, it is my view that the
recently formulated Commonwealth Charter should go a long way to encourage the countries that are still working on the provision of basic needs for their people in what is commonly known as “development”. It is my view that the local media in Africa, Asia and other parts of the Commonwealth should lead the way to change the negative media images
that tarnish the positive efforts being made to improve the lives of the people. It is also time the international media supported the local media to play a role in changing the images of Africa and Asia from predominantly negative to a mixture of both the bad and the good images, as it obtains in real life. This is because significant
progress has been made in the newly independent countries during the past 50 years, in which case the people’s hopes must be encouraged and sustained.
Commonwealth gallery
Dr William F. Shija (left) with Hon. Job Ndugai, MP, Deputy Speaker, Parliament of Tanzania
VIEW FROM THE
The Chairperson of the CPA Exectuive Committee (left) speaking at this year’s Commonwealth Day, with Dr William F. Shija seated.
The Secretary-General with the Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland, and CPA Executive Committee Member, Dr the Hon. Mark Robinson, MP.
The Parliamentarian | 2013: Issue One | 13
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92