It Will 'Be Lifted'

It Will 'Be Lifted'

www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=143982

By Reijeli Kikau

SUVA (The Fiji Times/Pacific Media Watch): Censorship of the media will be lifted once the Media Industry Development Decree 2010 is in place. This is what Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, who heads the Justice and Communication ministries, said at the close of consultation into the draft decree yesterday.

The consultation was conducted behind closed doors and included representatives from print, radio and television companies.

Also registered for the consultations were people from non-government orgabisations ECREA, the Citizens Constitutional Forum, femLINK Pacific, Fiji Media Watch, South Pacific Commission and interested individuals and other bodies.

The participants began arriving at the Holiday Inn hotel in Suva at 8am, where they received copies of the draft. The meeting proper started at 10.39am.

Media personnel were told to be at the hotel between 8am to 10.30am to take pictures and conduct interviews before the meeting began.

ECREA director Joseph Camillo said more time was needed for consultation.

He said they also raised comments over the need for amendments to what was included in the draft decree.

FemLINK Pacific executive director Sharon Bhagwan said it was a relief to know that censorship of the media would be lifted once the decree was in place.

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