Military leader calls for closure of Fiji Times newspaper
Updated
One of the most senior leaders of the Fiji military, Colonel Pita Driti says he wants the Fiji Times newspaper closed down, claiming the paper is the "most non-cooperative and biased newspaper in the country". The Media Council says it is surprised by the Colonel's call because Major Neumi Leweni, the interim Government's spokesman, did not mention it when he attended Wednesday's Council meeting. The paper was forced to appoint a third publisher after Evan Hannah and Rex Gardener were deported within nine months of each other last year.
Presenter Geraldine Coutts
Speaker: Media Council Chair Daryl Tarte
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DARYL TARTE: The Media Council met with the government representative - Major Leweni was at the council meeting and we discussed a whole range of things including the review of the Media Council but at no stage did Major Leweni say anything about Colonel Driti's concerns about the media nor that the Fiji Times should be closed down. So I'm a little surprised at this outburst after the council meeting.
GERALDINE COUTTS: And why do you think it's Colonel Pita Driti that's making these comments? We normally get that from Commodore Bainimarama.
DARYL TARTE: Yes, well, I am surprised at that and I don't know where it's coming from. I'm afraid I can't answer that. But, you know, I'd make the comment that the interim Prime Minister said constantly that he upholds the principal of media freedom and independence so why Driti is now asking for the Fiji Times to be closed down is beyond me.
GERALDINE COUTTS: And what about the Media Council? Colonel Driti also made comments about the Media Council's advice to all political parties and stakeholders to take their grievances to the media. Colonel Driti apparently is unhappy about that comment.
DARYL TARTE: Again, I don't know where it's coming from. I made a television statement on the weekend saying that if anybody did have any complaints against the media there was a process to go through and I invited anybody with complaints to go through that process. Now Colonel Driti seems to be implying he's made complaints and they haven't been dealt with. Well, to my knowledge there are no complaints from the military that have not been dealt with in the proper fashion.
GERALDINE COUTTS: How seriously should we take the call that he is saying the Fiji Times should be closed down?
DARYL TARTE: Well, I think he's going to have to take that up with the Prime Minister because, as I said a little while ago, the PM upholds the principal of media freedom and independence and the Fiji Times is the pre-eminent media organisation in Fiji and I find that a little bit absurd to think that he'd call for it to be closed down.
GERALDINE COUTTS: Well, the media is used by the military itself to make the comments and points it has over time and repeatedly as well.
DARYL TARTE: Yes, it has and the Fiji Times and all media organisations are constantly reporting the statements made by Major Leweni and he is the military spokesman and so it's rather surprising that Colonel Driti should be coming out and making these kinds of statements.
GERALDINE COUTTS: Do you think that this is heralding a rift in the military if Major Leweni at your meeting today said nothing and Colonel Driti is now making these comments?
DARYL TARTE: I wouldn't speculate on that.
