Setting record straight job of responsible media

It’s absolutely important that they get the correct information so they can make sound judgments.

It is a shame that some so-called media people plying their trade offshore appear to have lost the plot by attacking this newspaper for standing up against a Washington report on Fiji’s human rights situation.

Instead of acknowledging that certain parts of the report were outright lies and inaccurate, they were critical of our position.

Lest they forget, the job of any responsible newspaper is to set the record straight. That’s what we have done in this case.

One critic, who accuses us as a propaganda arm of the Government, says we break all the rules of spin, which is to never draw attention to a setback or humiliation.

The fact is we are not involved in spin. We are an independent newspaper, and we will comment on issues of national interest when there is a need. In this case there is an obvious need.

The lies in that controversial report cannot go unchallenged. If our critics are blinded by their narrow personal and sectional interests, that they could not see the wrong, then that’s their problem. They must not stand in the way of setting the record straight for the benefit of Fijians who want to get ahead in life and overseas interests that want to do business with us.

It’s absolutely important that they get the correct information so they can make sound judgments. Overseas entrepreneurs who are planning to invest here will have second thoughts if they read that USA report. They could feel unsafe to come here and would not risk their planned investment. New investments mean new job opportunities for our unemployed and more development growth.

That’s the serious implication.

Unless the lies and inaccuracies are corrected, they would mislead people to making the wrong decisions. The ultimate victims are the people. Fiji has made remarkable progress on human rights. So much so that it became the first Pacific Island state to be elected to the presidency of the United Nations Human Rights Council,

Domestic abuse of human rights by the disciplined forces are being dealt with by the Police. Cases of brutality and abuse of office are being brought to court, showing that the rule of law is alive and well. Media freedom is thriving in this country. It enables people to express themselves particularly in the opinion columns of the two daily newspapers and social media.

People, however, must be reminded that there is no such thing as absolute freedom because it comes with responsibility to respect the rule of law and protect people against injustices.

Let’s listen to the voices of reason – not voices from overseas bent on confusing, dividing and ultimately destroying us.

NEMANI DELAIBATIKI

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