Pacific Islands News Association (PINA)

(PINA/IFEX) – A judge has reserved his decision on the criminal libel charges against “Samoa Observer” editor-publisher Savea Sano Malifa and the paper’s former Samoan language editor, Fuimaono Fereti Tupua. It came after five days of hearings in the Supreme Court in Apia, the Samoan capital. Samoa’s Prime Minister, Tofilau Eti Alesana, claims he was […]

(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) – Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Bill Skate, on 4 August 1998, accused the international media of painting a negative image of the country, newspapers reported. Addressing Australia’s National Press Club in Canberra, Skate said Papua New Guinea was the victim of sensational reporting by journalists “who have little understanding of PNG.” Papua New […]

(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) – “Samoa Observer” editor-publisher Savea Sano Malifa said on 13 July 1998 that he may have to sell the newspaper after losing a civil defamation action brought against him and the newspaper by Samoa’s Prime Minister, Tofilau Eti Alesana. It came after the release of a judgment by the Samoan Supreme Court in Apia […]

(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 […]