No regret from Fijian dictator if Murdoch's Fiji Times closes

Posted by Clara Martínez Turco on July 22, 2010 at 8:29 AM

Fijian ruler Frank Bainimarama said he has no regrets about the possible closure of The Fiji Times, which is own by Rupert Murdoch's News Limited, The Australian reported.

In June, under a decree demanding media outlets to be 90 percent owned by Fijians citizens, the government gave The Fiji Times three months to change its ownership or close. Since 2006, when Bainimarama led a military coup, the media has been struggling as the government has tightened controls and censorship.

"The reasons have been explained in the media decree... I guess, like everything else, people need to toe the line, including The Fiji Times," Bainimarama said to The Australian while explaining that the measures will "bring about transparency to the media."

He also said the newspaper's management and News Limited should be held accountable for the loss of jobs because they knew about the decree before it came into force and have done nothing to comply with it.

According to Fiji's Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, there will be no amendments to the decree and no extensions will be given, FijiVillage.com informed.