Fiji

(PINA/IFEX) – Plans by the Fiji Islands government to buy the biggest percentage of shares in one of the country’s two independent daily newspapers have caused anger. The move comes three months before the first general elections under a new constitution replacing one imposed after two military coups in 1987. These coups were led by […]

(PINA/IFEX) – “Sex On the Beach”, a song by the Dutch-American group T-Spoon, is now off the air in the Fiji Islands. Radio station FM96 had continued to play the song despite pressure from the Fiji Islands Government’s Assistant Minister for Information and criticism from some religious and community leaders. But it confirmed on 16 […]

(PINA/IFEX) – Fiji’s biggest daily newspaper, “The Fiji Times”, again faces the threat of action against it by the House of Representatives privileges committee, according to local news media reports. The opposition Fiji Labour Party wants an editorial comment, published by “The Fiji Times” on 1 December 1998, referred to the privileges committee. Labour Party […]

(PINA/IFEX) – “Sex On the Beach”, a song by the Dutch-American group T-Spoon, has come under fire after being played on a Fiji Islands radio station. Religious and community leaders quoted in the 7 January 1999 (local date) “Fiji’s Daily Post” newspaper condemned its lyrics as socially, culturally and religiously offensive. The Ministry of Information […]

(PINA/IFEX) – The Fiji Islands public is being invited to make submissions on a new Official Information Act. It will replace the Official Secrets Act inherited from the British colonial administration which governed before independence in 1970. Submissions close with the secretary-general to parliament on 31 January 1999. At a Fiji Media Council meeting on […]

(PINA/IFEX) – The company operating the national television service in the Fiji Islands is trying to get a ban on its paid political advertising lifted, media reports announced on 17 November 1998. The company, Fiji Television Limited, is seeking the Fiji Islands government’s approval to allow political parties to advertise during the campaign before general […]

(PINA/IFEX) – Concern is growing in the Fiji Islands news media over a decision by the Chief Magistrate to allow a closed court hearing reportedly because the person charged is a “well known” public figure. On 6 November 1998 (local date), details emerged of a case in which the Fiji Labour Party’s administrative officer, Rajendra […]

(PINA/IFEX) – On 5 October 1998, the Speaker of the Fiji Islands House of Representatives criticised the country’s biggest daily newspaper, “The Fiji Times”, for publishing an Auditor-General’s report before it was tabled in the House. He suggested parliament take action to prevent this from happening. Fiji Television news showed the Speaker, Dr. Apenisa Kurisaqila, […]

(PINA/IFEX) – The president of the Pacific Islands News Association (PINA), William Parkinson, of the Fiji Islands, has commented on the Fiji Government’s “review” of the work permits of University of the South Pacific journalism lecturers David Robie and Ingrid Leary. **Updates IFEX alert of 1 September 1998** Parkinson, who is also managing director of […]

(RSF/IFEX) – According to RSF, David Robie, a journalism coordinator at the regional University of South Pacific based in Suva, Fiji, and correspondent of Reporters Sans Frontières for the last four years, and Ingrid Leary, a journalism lecturer, have been threatened with having their work permits revoked because of what they wrote as journalists and […]

(PINA/IFEX) – Fiji’s Assistant Minister for Information has again stressed that a new Media Council will be set up under government legislation to replace the news media’s present self-regulatory council. The Assistant Minister, Ratu Josefa Dimuri, is quoted in “The Fiji Times” of 25 August 1998 as saying: “We certainly cannot have a News Council […]

(PINA/IFEX) – Fiji’s Assistant Minister for Information has said that a Fiji Media Council, to be set up under new media legislation, will be more regulatory than the present body set up by the Fiji news media. According to “The Fiji Times” of 7 August 1998, the Assistant Minister, Ratu Josefa Dimuri, said the present […]

(PINA/IFEX) – On 17 July 1998, the Fiji News Council called on the Fiji Government not to use the new Emergency Powers Act 1998 to censor the news media. The council, a PINA member, comprises representatives of Fiji’s news media organisations plus an equal number of prominent public members drawn from the country’s various communities. […]

(PINA/IFEX) – A special sitting of Fiji’s House of Representatives passed the Emergency Powers Act 1998 on 10 July 1998 despite criticism by the news media and some Opposition parliamentarians. The act enables the president to declare a state of emergency on the advice of the government. The government would then have power to introduce […]

(PINA/IFEX) – Fiji’s biggest daily newspaper, “The Fiji Times”, on 9 July 1998 called the country’s proposed Emergency Powers Act 1998 “too dangerous to pass” and questioned why it is needed. An editorial in the newspaper said: “The Emergency Powers bill must not be allowed to pass in its present form. It confers on the […]

(PINA/IFEX) – On 7 July 1998, Fiji’s House of Representatives began a special sitting in which the Government intends to put in place legislation allowing for the declaration of a state of emergency. The proposed Emergency Powers Act 1998 includes a section enabling the introduction of regulations for “censorship and the control of and suppression […]