Fiji Times ignore PM

The Department of Information would like to respond to Naca Nabukavou's letter (Fiji Times, Saturday January 12, 2019).

Mr Nabukavou made the claim that the Fijian public had not heard the Honourable Prime Minister address the Fijian people from Christmas until January 12, 2019.

In reality, the Prime Minister recorded and released a New Year message to the nation on December 31, 2018 wishing all Fijians well in 2019.

Both FBC and Fiji TV aired the Prime Minister's New Year message before the evening news on January 1, 2019. The Hon Prime Minister's message was also printed in full on Page 3 of the Fiji Sun on January 1, 2019 and a news article based on his message was prominently posted on the Fiji Village website.

The Prime Minister's New Year message was flatly ignored by the Fiji

Times, giving its readership, including Mr Nabukavu, the false impression that the Honourable Prime Minister had not addressed the Fijian public since Christmas.

It is a serious lapse that a major national address from Prime Minister Bainimarama received no coverage in the Fiji Times.

However, it is not surprising, given the long string of one-sided and unfair reporting from your newspaper. Moving forward, we would hope that any national address from the Head of Government be given the news attention it warrants, because every Fijian rightly deserves to hear from our Prime Minister.

Izek Lal, Acting Director Information