According to the Fiji Police, two journalists in Labasa were actively involved with the group involved in the terrorist takeover of the Sukanaivalu military barrack and the terrorizing of the population in and around Labasa.

According to a report in today's Fiji Sun, the journalists frequently were passengers in vehicles which carried the terrorists and illegal arms. The Police Department claims it is investigating these journalists.

The People's Coalition believes that at least one of the journalists works for the Fiji Times.

The Fiji Times had launched a vicious campaign to destabilize the People's Coalition Government for about one year. One of these journalists was posted to Labasa some months ago.

Another senior writer of the Fiji Times, Margaret Wise, has had a long affair with the former Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka as well as Rabuka's Secretary to Cabinet Joji Kotobalavu. Rabuka lost the 1999 elections while Kotobalavu was moved from the Cabinet position to the Education Commission after it was established that he was responsible for numerous leaks of cabinet papers to the media, notably to Wise.

More recently, some scribes have claimed that at the time of the terrorist takeover of the Parliament, Ms Wise was carrying a baby whose father was reputed to be the terrorist Timoci Silatolu. This was widely known amongst the media circles in Fiji, yet the Fiji Times continued to allow Wise to report and write on the terrorist takeover of the Parliament.

The Fiji Times had waged a war against the People's Coalition government not only by biased, and often factually incorrect reporting of the government, but also through the courts by challenging a government decision to not to renew the work permit of Australian Russell Hunter who had occupied the position of Editor-in-Chief. The Court had decided against the Fiji Times. Hunter left Fiji just days prior to the 19 May terrorist activities. In a total change in policy of localization, the Qarase regime this week decided to grant Hunter a work permit for 3 years.

Numerous complaints were lodged by People's Coalition government to the Fiji Media Council against the Fiji Times' incorrect reporting. The Media Council had in a majority of the cases decided against the Fiji Times.

The newspaper continues to write anti-People's Coalition articles now. Little does it realize that the economic crisis which the destabilization and the terrorists' activities brought to Fiji has also financially affected the Fiji Times. The shareholders of the newspaper are still unaware of the personal agenda of numerous decision makers at the helm of their Suva outfit. The Fiji Times is owned by the once Australian Rupert Murdoch.

People's Coalition Government - Fiji Islands
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Last update: August 27, 2001