(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) – 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 leader
Mahendra Chaudhry claims “The Fiji Times” was “maliciously critical of
parliamentarians without verifying the facts,” according to a leaked copy of
his letter of complaint. Extracts from Chaudhry’s letter were published in
the “Sunday Post” of 10 January 1999.
**Updates IFEX alerts of 8 June, 2 June, 28 May, 9 April and 6 April 1998; 8
October and 6 October 1997**
In its editorial comment “The Fiji Times” questioned the cost of meetings of
new backbench parliamentary committees and the lack of provision for these
in the budget. “Despite the concerns previously expressed by a range of
ministers, there is no limit on how long or how often these committees can
sit,” the editorial said. “It’s a blank cheque. And anybody who doesn’t
expect MPs to take full advantage has been living on another planet. Many
MPs will consider this their last chance to make a buck before the election
(in May 1999) … Make hay while the sun shines will be the motto … If
Parliament insists on providing these committees with an open cheque.”
Chaudhry said a cartoon on the same page as the editorial comment also
portrayed parliamentarians in a bad light. “The fact is that the standing
sector committees are provided for in the new constitution,” he said.
Background Information
“The Fiji Times” has faced a number of actions by the privileges committees
of the elected House of Representatives and appointed Senate over its
reporting of
their proceedings and its publication of leaked information. On 5 June 1998
the
Senate privileges committee ruled that “The Fiji Times” breached
parliamentary
privilege in a report and editorial of 30 September 1997. This had
highlighted and
questioned the cost to taxpayers of a twenty-minute meeting of the Senate.
The Senate said no formal charges would be laid but that “The Fiji Times” be
warned that any further breaches would have severe repercussions. Under
Fiji’s Parliamentary Privileges and Powers Act those found guilty of
breaching parliamentary privilege can be jailed for up to two years.
“The Fiji Times” is a previous winner of the PINA Pacific Freedom of
Information Award for its efforts to promote freedom of information and its
defence of the public’s right to know.
