Fiji

(PINA/IFEX) – On 23 July 1999, Fiji Television chief executive Ken Clark resumed work while an appeal against the rejection of his work permit was decided. Fiji TV lawyer John Howard said that the Home Affairs Ministry issued an extension. This followed legal action in the High Court against termination of Clark’s permit, “The Fiji […]

(PINA/IFEX) – On 16 July 1999, the Fiji Islands government denied a work permit to Fiji Television’s new chief executive. The Immigration Department told the chief executive, Ken Clark – who has been an executive in Canadian and New Zealand television – that his temporary work permit would not be renewed and that he must […]

(PINA/IFEX) – On 2 July 1999, Fiji’s Labour Party-led coalition government used its parliamentary majority to pass a motion for Fiji’s two daily newspapers to be called before the House of Representatives privileges committee. This motion was passed after both the “The Fiji Times” and “Daily Post” carried reports of a question made in the […]

(PINA/IFEX) – On 23 June 1999, the new Labour Party-led Fiji Islands Government continued its attacks on the country’s news media, including indicating it planned to move against “foreign” ownership. “We cannot have foreign interests dictating to us standards of what is right and wrong,” Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry told the House of Representatives. Chaudhry […]

(PINA/IFEX) – On 21 June 1999, the new Fiji Islands Government announced that it plans to introduce legislation to set up a government-imposed media council to replace Fiji’s present independent, self-regulatory council. Lekh Ram Vayeshnoi, Assistant Minister for Information to Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry, told the House of Representatives this during an attack in which […]

(PINA/IFEX) – On 18 June 1999, PINA urged the new Fiji Islands Government to withdraw a notice it issued for government advertising to be placed in only one of Fiji’s two daily newspapers. PINA said: “PINA notes that in the past this advertising tactic has been used both in Fiji and in other Pacific Islands […]

(PINA/IFEX) – Broadcasters in the Fiji Islands are getting more information before commenting on a new bill regulating broadcasting being proposed by the new Fiji Labour Party-led coalition government. The proposed bill was announced by the President, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, in his speech outlining government policies at the opening of the new Parliament on […]

(PINA/IFEX) – Fiji Islands news organisations have complained over the manhandling of journalists by police guarding the country’s new prime minister, “The Fiji Times” reported on 12 June 1999 (local date). The newspaper stated that on 11 June, after a caucus meeting of Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry’s Labour Party, a police officer guarding Chaudhry pushed […]

(PINA/IFEX) – News organisations in the Fiji Islands are concerned about a new restriction placed on coverage of the country’s influential Bose Levu Vakaturaga (Great Council of Chiefs). On 4 June 1999, “The Fiji Times” reported that, contrary to some claims of improved access to this meeting of traditional indigenous Fijian leaders, coverage is actually […]

(PINA/IFEX) – The new prime minister of the Fiji Islands, Mahendra Chaudhry, pledged on 21 May 1999 to not legislate against the media or impose media licensing, “The Fiji Times” reported. But Chaudhry said media organisations, starting from management, need “a lot of tuition,” the newspaper reported. “I think the media should be fair,” it […]

(PINA/IFEX) – The biggest daily newspaper in the Fiji Islands, “The Fiji Times”, on 7 May 1999 vigorously rejected claims of news media bias in the coverage of the country’s general elections. It also reflected on the key role the news media are playing in the election, Fiji’s first under a new constitution replacing one […]

(PINA/IFEX) – On 13 March 1999, PINA president William Parkinson condemned a ban on prominent Television New Zealand journalist David Lomas entering the Fiji Islands. He called for the Fiji Islands Government to sort out once and for all the “blacklist” of journalists imposed by an interim government that ruled before the country returned to […]

(PINA/IFEX) – On 3 March 1999, Fiji Television reassured viewers and shareholders that it has not breached the terms of its licence by broadcasting an interview with the country’s retiring army commander. Chief executive Peter Wilson issued a statement following comments by Attorney-General Ratu Etuate Tavai that Fiji Television could lose its exclusive licence to […]

(PINA/IFEX) – Fears of the Fiji Islands government’s attempts to influence the news media before the May general elections have grown following a please-explain request to Fiji Television. According to “The Fiji Times” of 3 March 1999 (local time), the Prime Minister’s Office has asked the Ministry of Information to seek clarification from Fiji Television […]

(PINA/IFEX) – On 11 February 1999, the Fiji Islands Media Council criticised the Fiji Islands government’s decision to become the major shareholder in the “Daily Post”, one of the country’s two daily newspapers. The council comprises representatives of all of Fiji’s main news organisations, plus an equal number of public members, who are leading citizens […]

(PINA/IFEX) – On 10 February 1999, the Fiji Islands government went ahead with a controversial move to become the biggest shareholder in one of the country’s two daily newspapers, according to media reports. The “Daily Post” of 11 February 1999 (local date), in a report headlined “Govt buys Post shares”, quoted Fiji Islands Finance Minister […]