The recent attempts to pursue two controversial Bills in Parliament so early in its sitting is questioned by the Leader of the Opposition, Mick Beddoes.
Upcoming Bills of similar ilk are the Media Broadcast Bill and the Land Tribunal Bill. Fiji Sun's article sheds light on the matter.
State bid to control broadcasts
By CHARLOTTE PETERS
Fiji Sun.
The broadcast media will come under state control under a Bill to be presented to Parliament. This will be done through a Broadcast Licensing Authority proposed in the Broadcast Licensing Bill now at public consultation stage. The declared objective of the Bill is to establish a fair, transparent system for licensing of broadcasters along with a system for ensuring that licensees operate in the public interest.
The authority consisting of a chairperson and five other members would be charged with the oversight of broadcasting in Fiji. The Minister for Information and Communications will have the power to appoint the members of the authority.
The minister may also remove any member ineligible for appointment to the authority, or who commits a serious breach of any function under this Act, engages in corrupt practices or is no longer able to effectively perform any function under the Act. Members are entitled to allowances determined by the minister. The authority is charged with the oversight of broadcasting in Fiji, consistent with Chapter 4 of the Constitution and with promoting the public interest in the broadcasting sector.
The functions of the authority are in accordance with government policy to be responsible for the issuing of licenses to provide broadcasting services to the public, to oversee the development of the Advertising Code and the Programme Code. The minister will be asked to formulate policies relating to broadcasting, including setting the number of broadcasting services that a broadcaster may operate, give general or specific policy directions in the public interest to the authority and - under the Bill - the authority will b obliged to comply with such directions.
Fiji Government's decline of the request by the E.U funders to include Europa in the naming rights of the new bridge, was labeled by the leader of the opposition as arrogant.
This arrogance may be extended to the respect for international conventions for basic human rights, which are still yet to be enacted in Fiji. In addition to these human rights standards would be the transparency of democracy by legislating Freedom of Information laws. Attaining these basic steps in Governance may in fact facilitate Fiji Government's attempt to seek U.S grants. Ignore them at your own peril.
Fiji Ministry of Foreign Affairs is seeking an extension of duty-free access to U.S markets currently enjoyed by Fiji Water and Bumble Bee's tuna. These concessions expire this year and Foreign Affairs Minister is quoted in saying "Fiji cannot afford to lose them". This is the extent to which the nation of Fiji as a nation is addicted to aid and foreign goodwill. Fiji is currently treading water in the financial soup, due to the influx of remittances from former Fiji residents.
Glancing at the other end of the spectrum of foreign revenue, F.T.I.B is claiming Billions are in store for the nation in terms of new business based on the applications numbers from foreign investors.
Club Em Designs
No comments:
Post a Comment