Silence in paradise

We continue to cover the issues which are important to people - water, roads, food prices, housing, superannuation, health services, governance, accountability, transparency. Every story is covered in detail as if we were working in a truly democratic country without the current restrictions. Each day we challenge the censors by putting every possible news item before them.

Sometimes we are lucky and the occasional story slips through the net. On those days we celebrate quietly.

The danger is that under the current circumstances, journalists may start to censor their own stories. We must not allow that to happen.

It is vital - indeed it is our duty - to ensure that journalists continue to make every attempt to cover the issues that matter to the people, even if the stories we write do not portray our rulers in a good light. Our leaders must learn to deal with criticism form the electorate.

For journalists it is frustrating to spend the day covering issues and then writing reports which cannot be printed.

To their credit, however, our team at the Fiji Times continues to cover the issues, continues to test the censors, continues to push the boundaries of the regime’s regulations.

That takes true immense courage.

In our a situation it would be easy to roll over and practice self-censorship or get out of journalism because it’s just too hard. To their credit, however, our journalists have risen to the challenge, continued to report without fear or favours and remained objective. They have bravely stood up to intimidation, rejected censorship and recognized that when a nation is controlled by usurpers it is imperative that the public’s right to know is protected at all costs. And they are determined to break the culture of silence which so often surrounds our leaders - elected or otherwise.

I am proud of the journalists with whom I work and their colleagues in Fiji’s media industry. They are a tribute to the profession we all love so much. I pray that you will never face the situation my staff and some of our Fijian colleagues face today.

Every time you open a newspaper or turn on the radio or television, be thankful for the right to know what is happening in your country. You may not like what’s happening. At least you have the information to enable change. Be thankful for the journalists who bring you that information.

And as you give thanks, spare a thought for the journalists in Fiji and their battle every day to give the people a voice in paradise.