(PINA/IFEX) – Fiji Islands civil servants have been warned that they face disciplinary action if they continue to place government advertising in “The Fiji Times”, the newspaper reported on 21 August 1999 (local date). “The Fiji Times”, which is the biggest-circulation daily newspaper in the Pacific Islands, said: “A Ministry of Information memorandum this week […]
(PINA/IFEX) – Fiji Islands civil servants have been warned that they face
disciplinary action if they continue to place government advertising in “The
Fiji Times”, the newspaper reported on 21 August 1999 (local date). “The
Fiji Times”, which is the biggest-circulation daily newspaper in the Pacific
Islands, said: “A Ministry of Information memorandum this week expressed
concern that Government advertisements continue to appear in ‘The Fiji
Times’ despite two earlier directives that all official advertising be with
the ‘Daily Post’ newspaper.” The “Fiji Times” reported that the Ministry of
Information warned that civil servants face disciplinary action if this
continues, including having to pay the cost of the “Fiji Times”
advertisements themselves.
On 18 June, PINA had urged the new Fiji Islands government to withdraw its
advertising directive. PINA had said: “PINA notes that in the past this
advertising tactic has been used both in Fiji and in other Pacific Islands
states as a means of intimidating media organisations.” The directive had
been disclosed following a week in which ministers from the new Fiji Labour
Party-led coalition government criticised “The Fiji Times” over reports it
carried. The Ministry of Information had in turn said that since the
government is now the single largest shareholder in the “Daily Post” it
would be beneficial to the government’s interest that an “appropriate level”
of advertising support, including paid supplements, is given to the “Daily
Post”.
The government’s acting permanent secretary for information, Eliki Bomani,
commenting on the latest memorandum, told “The Fiji Times” that the
government wanted to make the “Daily Post” profitable before selling its
shares. On whether the directive is in breach of the country’s fair trading
legislation, he said: “That’s entirely for ‘The Fiji Times’ to decide. It
has the freedom and prerogative to seek legal advice on the matter. If
there’s a breach then it’s for them to come back to us.”
PINA’s 18 June statement stated:
“The choice to advertise or not to advertise in a particular form of media
should be based on the media’s ability to get an advertising message across
in the most cost-effective manner. Not because the government has used
taxpayers’ funds to buy into a commercial venture.
“PINA notes that in the past this advertising tactic has been used both in
Fiji and in other Pacific Islands states as a means of intimidating media
organisations. If this is the intention of Government it is a clear breach
of media freedom as stated under Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights. It should also be remembered that media freedom and freedom of
expression are guaranteed under Fiji’s constitution.
“The Pacific Islands News Association calls on government to withdraw this
memorandum. PINA welcomed the new government’s commitment, on election, to
the principles of transparency and open government. We look forward to the
government living up to those fine principals.”
Background Information
The Fiji Islands has amongst the most diverse and free news media in the
Pacific Islands. They include two seven-day-a-week English-language daily
newspapers, with a third about to be launched; weekly newspapers in Hindi,
Fijian, and English; news, business, trade and entertainment magazines;
independent commercial, community and religious radio stations and
commercial and community television; and government-owned public and
commercial radio stations. However, the news media have come under
continuing criticism from Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry, who is also
minister for information, and assistant Information Minister Lekh Ram
Vayeshnoi since the election of the new government in May. This has included
threats to impose a government-legislated media council in place of the
present self-regulatory council and to move against “foreign” interests in
the media (see IFEX alerts).
