Tuesday, August 5, 2008

PPP going daily

Just about anytime now the current bi-weekly Phnom Penh Post will be slipping into a daily newspaper format. The last twice-monthly version appeared a couple of weeks go, announcing it was the end of an era and telling its readers to keep their eyes peeled for the new daily edition. Word on the street is that the new version is imminent. Personally, I like the depth of stories in the PPP and if this continues in the new daily edition, it will be well worth stopping by my nearest newsstand each morning to buy a copy.

I was saddened to hear today that the Sunrise Children's Village in Siem Reap had been taken over by a gang of youths and staff threatened including Geraldine Cox, the founder of the orphanage. At the weekend, local police initially refused to help eject the youths who are former orphanage boys that have become involved in gang activity. The former government-run facility was adopted by SCV in 2004, though problems with the older boys have dogged it ever since. It houses over 70 orphans and disadvantaged kids. As I type this, I've just heard that the problem has thankfully been resolved. Trying to give these children a better life has always had its ups and downs for Geraldine and for evidence of this I recommend you read her amazing life story in her autobiography, Home Is Where The Heart Is. Link: SCV.

2 Comments:

Blogger Andy Brouwer said...

Update on both stories:
The new daily Phnom Penh Post didn't appear this morning (Wed) as anticipated. Friday looks like the best bet for the 1st edition of the new PPP. Stay tuned...

The Sunrise orphanage saga has ended. Military Police and Dept of Social Affairs officers secured the site and removed the gang members. All the children are okay and under MP protection, as is Geraldine.

August 6, 2008 3:41 PM  
Blogger Andy Brouwer said...

The new daily PPP arrived on Friday morning, but it was a bit of a damp squib. I asked the newspaper vendors on St 51 next to Wat Lanka for the PPP at 8am this morning and all of them said 'ott mien' (no have), only to hear late in the day that the PPP had been printed and distributed, but I must ask the question - distributed to whom? If the news girls on St 51 didn't have it by 8am, did it arrive at all? and if not, why not as those girls do a roaring trade amongst the foreign contingent in BKK1.
As for the paper itself, I saw a copy at the Red Orchid tonight and it looked 'okay' for a first edition. It didn't knock my socks off to be honest and there was more international news that I expected. We already get overloaded with international news in The Cambodia Daily, we don't need it in the new daily PPP as well. There wasn't any breaking news to be had and a supplement gave a brief history lesson of the PPP's life to-date. As I said, an 'okay' effort but I hope to see a lot better....that's if distribution can be guaranteed.

August 8, 2008 8:09 PM  

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