(PINA/IFEX) – On 5 June 1998, Fiji’s Senate formally accepted the finding of its privileges committee that “The Fiji Times” breached parliamentary privilege in a report and editorial on 30 September 1997. This included the recommendation that no formal charges be laid but that the newspaper be warned as follows: “That should ‘The Fiji Times’ […]
(PINA/IFEX) – On 5 June 1998, Fiji’s Senate formally accepted the finding
of its privileges committee that “The Fiji Times” breached parliamentary
privilege in a report and editorial on 30 September 1997. This included the
recommendation that no formal charges be laid but that the newspaper be
warned as follows: “That should ‘The Fiji Times’ continue to publish
articles, editorials or any other writings which constitutes any breach of
the Parliamentary Powers and Privileges Act, then the Senate will not
hesitate to impose sanctions that will have severe repercussions on their
accreditations and/or lay formal charges against them.” Under the act, the
Senate could jail for up to two years those found to have breached
parliamentary privilege.
**Updates IFEX alerts dated 2 June, 28 May, 9 and 6 April 1998; 8 and 6
October 1997**
The Senate Privileges Committee finding is over a report and editorial on a
brief meeting of the Senate. “The Fiji Times” outlined the cost to taxpayers
of this. The editorial strongly criticised the senators for not setting a
good example amidst calls for increased national productivity. On 8 April
1998, “The Fiji Times” announced that its lawyers were beginning a legal
challenge against the committee finding. Publisher Alan Robinson said: “In
essence, we reported the facts. And just how an editorial opinion can
misrepresent proceedings of the Senate really needs to be explained. As far
as I am aware there is no law against fair comment. There is a vital
principle at stake here. The media has to be
free to comment on the proceedings of Parliament without fear or favour. The
Senate finding seeks to restrict that freedom.”
These views were supported by a prominent senator. Senator Irene Jai
Narayan, for many years one of Fiji’s leading Opposition politicians, said:
“In our democratic country the press has been given the freedom to report
the news that gets into their hands.” She said senators should know that one
vital pillar of a free society is the press. She said “The Fiji Times” was
merely doing its job. “It is time for the members of both houses of
parliament to clean up their act,” she said. However, several traditional
Fijian chiefs who are senators and the Leader of Government Business,
Senator Filipe Bole, called for the adoption of the committee’s findings.
Bole said the news media should be reminded to be responsible
in their reporting.
The Senate Privileges Committee also recommended that the parliamentary
privileges legislation be revised so matters could be dealt with swiftly and
effectively.
“The Fiji Times” has faced a number of actions against its reporting by both
the elected House of Representatives and the appointed Senate. “The Fiji
Times” is a previous winner of the PINA Pacific Freedom of Information award
for its defence of the public’s right to know.
