Samoa's AG happy with NZBA decision

Updated March 10, 2010 18:07:34

Samoa's Attorney General, Aumua Ming Leung Wai says he is happy with the ruling by the New Zealand Broadcasting Authority. He says his government felt it had to make the complaint when it saw Samoa being wrongly depicted as a place where guns and drugs were rife.

Presenter: Christine Webster
Speaker: Samoa's Attorney General, Aumua Ming Leung Wai

WAI: I am very pleased with the BSA's ruling and I also believe that this ruling has brought out the truth that Samoa is not awash with guns and drugs.

WEBSTER: What objections did you have to the story?

WAI: Well, we have several objections to the story, it being unfair, unbalanced, it being inaccurate and that's why we filed a complaint. Any person living in Samoa who had watched that news item would shake their head with disbelief saying that is not correct. So when we saw that news item, we felt that we had to do something about it.

Samoa is a very small country and we have limited natural resources. For example, we do not have gold or oil or natural gas, so we depend so much on tourism. Now a news item like that that misrepresents Samoa as a place that is not safe, then has a disastrous affect on our economy and our people, so therefore why for regional reporters who parachute, if I may use that word, who parachute into the region for a few days must make sure that their facts are correct before they report them.

WEBSTER: You would think though that there must be some sort of a problem in Samoa with gangs and drugs as the journalist was able to speak to some people about these problems?

WAI: Well, I cannot deny that there is some criminal elements involved, like every other country, but how it was portrayed in the media by TV New Zealand, it was an exaggeration.

WEBSTER: The story said the drug trade is providing money for the smuggling of guns from the United States and China. Are you aware of these problems happening at all?

WAI: No, I am not aware of that, those problems at all. We have had in the past few years, we have had two convictions on methanphedime, yeah so, I would not say there is a big problem. We have had some isolated incidents relating to guns, but it is the same case everywhere else.

WEBSTER: Television New Zealand says the police commissioner was invited to be part of the story, but did not wish to appear on camera. Do we know why this was the case?

WAI: Well, as explained in the decision, the police commissioner in his affidavit that was submitted to the BSA, he clarified that he was not aware that the person he had spoken to was contracted by TV New Zealand. He just knew him as a person who ran a local broadcasting or local studio. So he said that he was never informed by this person that he was there on behalf of TV New Zealand news.

WEBSTER: Do you think if he had been able then to appear in the story, it would have provided more balance to it?

WAI: Oh, I can't speculate he would have agreed to appear, but the police commissioner is not the only public official in Samoa who could have commented. I mean I was not asked for a comment, the Minister for Police was not asked for comment, even the prime minister was not asked for comment.

WEBSTER: Do you hope that the findings of the Broadcasting Standards Authority helps improve the standard of journalism, not only in Samoa and New Zealand, but across the Pacific, as well?

WAI: Yes, I believe that, I believe that the standard should improve and this is a lesson not only for regional reporters who come into the region, but also for the local reporters as well as reported by our prime minister. And I just want to say that nobody is perfect, except for Our Lord Jesus Christ and we all make mistakes and I just want to emphasis that this Barbara Dreaver she is still welcome to Samoa, and I have been very impressed with subsequent news items that she has prepared for our country.

TV New Zealand, of course, broadcasts every night in Samoa, and I enjoy watching the show and they have also helped our country in respect of recently donating broadcasting equipment to a local television station and they also provided a wide coverage for the tsunami tragedy that affected Samoa and Tonga last year.