(PINA/IFEX) – On 4 October 1999, the Fiji Islands House of Representatives privileges committee recommended “The Fiji Times” and “Daily Post” newspapers be “given the benefit of the doubt” over parliamentary reporting it investigated. It said no formal charges should be laid. However, the committee concluded that the House has the right to prohibit publication […]
(PINA/IFEX) – On 4 October 1999, the Fiji Islands House of Representatives
privileges committee recommended “The Fiji Times” and “Daily Post”
newspapers be “given the benefit of the doubt” over parliamentary reporting
it investigated. It said no formal charges should be laid. However, the
committee concluded that the House has the right to prohibit publication of
its debates and proceedings as part of its general right to control its
affairs, the local media reported.
**Updates IFEX alerts of 27 August, 12 August and 5 July 1999**
According to a report in “The Fiji Sun”, the committee advised both “The
Fiji Times” and “Daily Post” to exercise better judgement in reporting
issues which “border on contempt of the House.” It said the reporters
involved had been given “the benefit of the doubt” because their articles
were “without malice towards the House or any member of the House”.
Editors Samisoni Kakaivalu, of “The Fiji Times”, and Jale Moala, of the
“Daily Post”, were alleged to have disregarded a parliamentary ruling and
their newspapers reported “expunged” questions raised by opposition leader
Ratu Inoke Kubuabola. The questions regarded alleged misuse of public funds
by a current government minister when he was Fiji’s permanent representative
to the United Nations in New York, the “Daily Post” has reported. It said
the questions were ruled out of order by the speaker of the House of
Representatives, Apenisa Kurisaqila.
The privileges committee makes a recommendation to the full House of
Representatives. Under Fiji’s Parliamentary Privileges and Powers Act, those
found guilty of breaching parliamentary privilege can be jailed for up to
two years by the House.
The privileges committee said the media have a very important role in
informing and educating the public, “The Fiji Sun” reported. “For this
reason reporters need to be fully conversant with parliamentary rules and
procedures, constitutional roles of parliamentarians, and their rules and
procedures,” the committee said.
Background Information
The Fiji Islands has amongst the most diverse and free news media in the
Pacific Islands. They include: three seven-day-a-week English-language daily
newspapers; weekly newspapers in Hindi, Fijian, and English; news, business,
trade and entertainment magazines; independent commercial, community and
religious radio stations; government-owned public and commercial radio
stations; and commercial and community television.
But the news media have come under continuing criticism from Prime Minister
Mahendra Chaudhry and Assistant Information Minister Lekh Ram Vayeshnoi
since the election of the new Fiji Labour Party-led coalition government in
May (see IFEX alerts). This has included threats to impose a
government-regulated media council and to move against “foreign” interests.
