PNG MP's accuse media of being terrorists
Updated
Papua New Guinea government ministers have accused the local media of acting like terrorists. They say reports by PNG's Post Courier newspaper of an alleged split in the ruling National Alliance party are untrue and irresponsible journalism.
Presenter: Firman Nanol
Speakers: PNG Forest Minister, Belden Namah; PNGTreasurer, Patrick Pruaitch; PNG State Enterprises Minister, Arthur Somare
NANOL: Three senior government ministers have accused the PNG media of being irresponsible in reporting government issues.
PNG's Forest Minister, Belden Namah, Treasurer Patrick Pruaitch and State Enterprises Minister Arthur Somare used parliamentary privilege to attack the media.
It follows a series of report by PNG's Post Courier newspaper of a split in the ruling National Alliance party. The report claimed a tussle amongst two ministers over the party leadership.
PNG's Forest Minister Belden Namah accused the PNG media of acting like terrorists. He told parliament the media should be regulated.
NAMAH: This is the only country that does not regulate the media. We have to regulate. Enough is enough. They are no facts what the media is doing. It is an act of media terrorism. I term it as media terrorism. They come, they do the damage, and they hide and I will tell this media you will never break this government, you will never break this parliament. This world is too small. Terrorism will never hide. We will find you, just like George Washington Bush, for George Bush found Saddam Hussein in this game.
NANOL: Treasurer Patrick Pruaitch says reports in the Post Courier newspaper of infighting between himself and Arthur Somare over the party leader ship are baseless.
He says the party is intact with Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare as leader .
PRUAITCH: National Alliance is the mandate of the people and Mr. Speaker, the same newspaper in the lead up to the formation of this government went about to assist some of their friends to say that this government will not be formed and this is another of their initiative to try and discredit the government. There that is delivering Mr. Speaker, this is a desperate attempt by the Post Courier.
NANOL: PNG's State Enterprises Minister Authur Somare Somare says no one is fighting over the party leadership.
Arthur Somare says the timing of the retirement of his father, Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare is an issue for the party to decide .
SOMARE: I have never put up my hand in relation to leadership of the party. Clearly I am not one of the deputies that NA, four regional deputies and people often make the mistake that it is a birth right. It is not a birth right. The selection process for the next leader of the National Alliance Party will be taken purely on merit, that's what the party faithful would be looking at.
NANOL: He has called on the media to be fair and factual.
SOMARE: I don't believe regulations or a regulating the media. I merely call for the media to be more responsible in their reporting to exhibit fairness and quite simply you have ethics within journalists that needed to be exercised. Quite simply the media has a tremendous potential of influencing public opinion just like a politician, but we expect that both would be fair, that both would report the truth.
NANOL: The Post Courier newspaper says it stands by its report.
It said in an editorial it does not support the Opposition nor any one in discrediting the PNG government.
PNG's Media Council President Joe Kanekane has reiterated a call for the government to be open with the media and give out vital information for public consumption through the media. He has also urged the media to be honest and accurate in its reporting.
The Media Council says it does not believe the media will be regulated.
