job, but the media

Sasako gets the job, but the media is threatened again

WHAT do Fiji and Papua New Guinea have in common? Politi cal problems that are affecting their dealings with the media. Last month, the governments of both countries engaged in assaults on the media that attracted widespread atten tion locally and abroad. • In Papua New Guinea, the gov ernment of Prime Minister Rabbie Namaliu, still facing a secessionist move ment on the copper-rich island of

Bougainville, criticised the appointment

of Alfred Sasako as information officer for the Forum Secretariat. Why? Sasako, a Solomon Islander working in Brisbane for Australian Associated Press, was black banned by PNG after he entered Bou gainville by canoe from the Solomon Islands on Christmas Day. Sasako’s reports of the secessionist movement on the island received international cover age.

Papua New Guinea condemned

Sasako’s appointment. Foreign Minister

Sir Michael Somare said his government was not consulted about the appoint ment and warned he would slap Sasako’s face if they met. He said if he had his way he would deny Sasako visa if he wanted to enter PNG, even on Forum Secretariat business.

Papua New Guinea argued that be

cause it contributed to the funding of the Forum Secretariat it must have some say in the appointment of its staff.

Sasako, 37, arrives in Suva this month with his wife, Rose, and their three children. He starts work on the 22nd. He believes that “like a storm, (the dispute with Papua New Guinea) will blow over”, adding: “I think we’ll settle it the

Melanesian way.”

• In Fiji, there was uproar when

Informadon Minister Ratu Inoke Kubuabola walked into a Radio Fiji studio on March 18 and took a news item from a reader moments before it was to have been read during the 7am news bulletin. The news item dealt with the installation of a television receiving dish outside government buildings in Suva for use by his ministry.

Ratu Inoke said the news item was incorrect and he went into the studio

(reportedly in his jogging outfit) after getting the

approval of Radio Fiji

News Editor George Williams. He said he tried and failed to contact Radio Fiji General Man ager Epeli Kacimaiwai.

His action was immedi

ately criticised by the

leader of the opposition National Federation Party / Fiji Labour Party Coalition, Adi Kuini Bavadra. Adi Kuini said Ratu Inoke’s raid on state-run Radio Fiji un dermined the station’s in dependence. She called on Radio Fiji to enforce its right to be an indepen dent public news service.

She added; “It seems that whenever Ratu Inoke disagrees with any news item, even if it is factually correct, he calls it distorted and

irresponsisble

journalism.” □

Sasako: subject of attention