Siteri Sauvakacolo
SUVA (The Fiji Times/Pacific Media Watch): The Fijian Media Association had initiated ideas to nurture senior and experienced journalists such as Losana McGowan, who died tragically at Easter weekend, to guide younger Fijian journalists.
Her untimely loss was labelled by association executive Stanley Simpson as a "great setback".
"Losana was a wonderful person, a passionate journalist and communications specialist who will be greatly missed and mourned by the Fiji media fraternity," Simpson said.
"She always had a smile for her colleagues even in the most difficult of times and often carried those around her with her cheerful nature. The Fijian Media Association is in a state of sorrow over her passing.
"She has been in the media for over 15 years, starting off as a student journalist at USP [University of the South Pacific]. She was a passionate and committed journalist who really cared about the issues and people she wrote about. She was loved and respected by everyone and was a very caring person."
Simpson said McGowan's passing was a great loss for the association and the industry as she was a great mentor who had loved to inspire people, adding that she would have made a difference to many.
"The FMA will organise a reguregu and will honour Losana. Our sincere thoughts are with her family, and the media family itself is in a state of shock over this tragedy," Simpson said.
Pacific Media Centre director Professor David Robie said her contribution to the Fiji media industry would be a big loss. He recalled what a key role she had played in the award-winning University of the South Pacific's Wansolwara student journalist team covering the George Speight attempted coup in May 2000.
A reguregu for for Losana McGowan will start on Thursday, April 9, at the McGowans' residence in Veisari.
Her burial will be at the Old Suva Cemetery on Saturday, April 11.
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Pacific Media Watch
