Times ‘joke publication’
ATTORNEY-General and Economy Minister Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum labelled The Fiji Times and a few other media organisations “joke publications” during his address at the Fiji Chamber of Commerce and Industry post-budget discussion in Suva yesterday.
He said while Government had received support for the 2020-2021 National Budget, The Fiji Times had continued to run commentary without seeking comment from him.
“We are of course receiving a lot of positive feedback but some of the media organisations are being really stupid actually in the way analyses are being carried out,” said Mr SayedKhaiyum.
“I find it quite embarrassing, intellectually, the type of stories that are coming out in The Fiji Times and all these other joke publications where they are only simply just looking at only one or two things without even talking to us.
“They are not looking at the overall big picture.
“They think it is normal, everything is normal, it’s not normal.”
Commenting on the attack, The Fiji Times editor Fred Wesley said last night that the Minister was entitled to his opinions, but he should also respect the views of others on the budget and the situation the country was facing.
“I agree these are not normal times,” Wesley said. “Many of our stories in these times are telling our readers the realities that some of our people are facing.
“I am sorry that the minister does not like this but we will continue to publish all views – including his, if he chooses to give them to us.”
Our journalists frequently ask the minister for responses ... but he generally does not respond – Fred Wesley