20 Apr 2010

Fiji AG says Fiji Times seems to accept ownership curb

6:34 pm on 20 April 2010

Fiji's interim Attorney General says the government assumes that the Fiji Times is happy with the change in the rules for foreign and local ownership of media companies in Fiji as set out in the draft Media Decree.

Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum made the comment to the Fijivillage website two weeks after the regime released the draft decree which proposes that media ownership be 90 percent local.

The Fiji Times is Australian-owned and should the draft be implemented, the paper needs to find new owners or be shut down.

Mr Sayed Khaiyum says there is a clear reason behind the decision and the government has not decided to change that at this stage.

He also says people should stop harping on about the lack of time for consultations.

No date has been set for the enactment of the decree.