Wilson’s Action Over Aborted PM’s Interview Uncalled For

When the Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka invites members of the media to his office, he means it.

He is serious and he knows he has the time to do an interview. In short, he is media savvy.

But the action of his so-called press secretary Cheerieann Wilson yesterday effectively prevented Fiji Sun’s senior journalists Fonua Talei and Inoke Rabonu from interviewing

Mr Rabuka after he told them to follow him into his office. Mr Rabuka was approached by the journalists after he was welcomed by the Parliament Secretariat staff. He agreed to the interview and told them to follow him to his office.

But they were told by Ms Wilson

that he was too busy to take one-onone interviews.

Her action was unwarranted and unacceptable in the context of relations between the media and the Office of the Prime Minister.

‘Usurping authority?’

When the PM said yes to an interview,

was Ms Wilson and later his security detail usurping his authority by saying no and preventing the media from interviewing him?

It looked like that yesterday. Ms Wilson is a former journalist who should know better on how to positively deal with the media.

Mr Rabuka’s staff might have thought they were protecting him or they might have had another reason but Mr Rabuka is a seasoned politician and a darling of the media.

He can handle himself and face up to public and media scrutiny. He is not a novice.

He is a veteran.

This is his second time as Prime Minister and if there is anyone who can teach staff in his office about how to deal with the media, it’s him.

He must have been wondering yesterday what happened to the two Fiji Sun journalists as he waited in his office.

Did Ms Wilson brief him on what transpired?

One of the factors that propelled his return to power was his position on media freedom. He walked the talk and he led by example.

The actions of his staff yesterday went against this philosophy.

Photo: Leon Lord The media team, Government officials and The People’s Alliance support team before Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka’s press conference at the Office of the Prime Minister in Suva on January 10, 2023. Fiji Sun photo journalist, Leon Lord, was the only one from the media company allowed entrance during the address. It was only after our journalists questioned the PM’s media team that the rest of our team gained access.