The Fiji Times Falls.

We are back!!! After taking a break for a day to celebrate the appointment of Obama as President of USA, we were very interested in reading your comments. While some of your comments have bordered heavily on racial grounds, we will not be deleting them because we believe in open dialogue.

Once again, the rancid RFN bloggers have ended up with a foot in the mouth. Their ridiculous blogs mention that the PM's non attendance to the PIF is a sign of fear and cowardice. As usual, they have been proven wrong. The PM will be sending a delegate and even though we are sending a delegate, let it not be assumed that this is being done simply because the forum kicked up a fuss. We are a sovereign nation and we will not be pushed around by any of the other countries. It would do the heads of these countries to remember that we will push back. Just as the expulsion of the two commissioners of NZ, we will not allow other countries who have commissions here to think they can behave in a manner which does not conform to our countries rules and international laws.

The RFN and SV bloggers are misguided by the assumption that meeting the leaders at the PIF will do much for Fiji. We are of the opinion that nothing will be gained from this meeting as has been the case for many years. To even have the slightest notion that Fiji will be ordered to do something is based on unfound facts - we will not be swayed and it is up to the other leaders to realize that this govt. recognizes and will not sell our sovereignty down the drain as the past govts. including the SDL have done for money. We will not allow countries such as NZ and Australia to blackmail or bulldoze their way as they have done in the Solomon Islands. Our stand is going to remain and nothing will change that. The RFN and SV bloggers will become old men and women if they think their blogs are going to change the current situation in Fiji. We have achieved a lot since this govt. came into power and we will take the people forward into a new era where we will show them that good governance can be achieved and that race based politics are wrong for the country and its people.

We were a little surprised to have drawn fire from LoyalFijian. We understand his views but we disagree with them as our purpose is to draw out the buffoons who blog from RFN and SV. Our articles have not used profanity and our arguments are logical and direct. This is why our support based grows by the day. We note that the RFN and SV bloggers had at some point commented that no one supported our blog as all comments were against our articles - we invite them to look again today. Our support is growing, just as the support for this govt. is growing and the people realize that the PM is genuine in his cause to bring Fiji back to normality. We invite the LF to look carefully at our blogs and understand that we are not promoting the RFN and SV blogs. Rather, we have done everything to expose their lies and slanted truths. We have shown the world that the truth was being hidden from them by a group of shoddy bloggers who want the world to share their warped sense of ideas and irrational behaviors.

The conviction of the Netani Rika and Rex Gardner shows that the media needs to exercise control when publishing aricles. The acts of the Fiji Times clearly showed that there was a determination to defame the govt. using the open column (letters to the idiotic editor) as the medium. While touting media freedom, the Fiji Times blatantly published articles of extremely seditious manner and also failed to exercise due diligence. Rika, as editor had the full opportunity to prevent the letter from being published yet failed in his duty as a journalist to uphold the principles of his profession. Today's ruling has shown the world that journalists need to be held accountable for their statements, particularly those that provoke racial hatred or cause distress.

According to the Fiji Times websites latest article:

The High Court in Suva today fined Fiji Times Limited $100,000 and imposed a suspended prison sentence on its Editor-in-Chief, Netani Rika, for contempt of court.

Mr Rika was given a three-month jail term suspended for two years. The company was fined $100,000 and made to post a bond of $50,000 for good behaviour for two years.

Rex Gardner, the acting CEO of Fiji Times Ltd, was given a conditional discharge to be on good behaviour for 12 months.

Judge Thomas Hickie said judges were not immune to criticism, nor were they infallible, but the freedom of expression had been grossly abused in this case.

The Fiji Times had published a letter on October 22 last year critical of judges in the Qarase v Bainimarama court case. Justice Hickie found that the letter had gone beyond reasonable and fair criticism of the judges.

The Fiji Times published an apology about two weeks later.

Outside of court, Solicitor General Christopher Pryde said he was pleased with the ruling because it sent a strong message to media organisations to report responsibly or face the consequences.

Fiji Times Ltd lawyer Richard Naidu said it was a long judgment involving a number of legal issues and no statement would be issued until it had been fully studied by Fiji Times lawyers. Quote

While the FT published an apology, it took two weeks to eventuate by which time the damage caused by the letter had done its work. In order to prevent the court case from even ocurring, the FT can be assumed to have published the apology without any genuine intent. The FT lawyer, Richard Naidu will perhaps finally understand that media freedom is not meant to be taken as face value. Just like each of us are governed by policies and rules at work (not the RFN and SV bloggers as they have no scruples about anything), the media need to realize that such policies apply even more to them because of the information they handle and disseminate publicly. In future, perhaps journalists will learn to publish the truth instead of the slanted version which is entwined with their own conclusions generally founded on rumors and lies.

Media organizations in Fiji along with Daryl Tarte will perhaps now stay quiet because they have long been touting the freedom of the media and its independence. Perhaps Tarte will now realize that his ridiculous notions are what lead to this culmination of decisions and as an honorable man, he will resign his position. Our congratulations to Mr. Pryde and our sincere thanks to Justice Hickey who has shown that the Judiciary's role is still very much independent and they are not swayed by the rantings and ravings of fools such as those in RFN and SV. Perhaps the bloggers will also now realize that their actions will one day make them accountable to the law and we look forward to meeting you in the Courts that day.