8 Aug 2011

Vanuatu journalists fear ongoing threats from political leaders

7:19 pm on 8 August 2011

Journalists at Vanuatu Broadcasting and Television Corporation are raising concerns about ongoing political intimidation in the wake of threats of legal action by the minister of ni-Vanuatu business.

Pastor Don Ken was arrested and jailed following a display of public drunkenness on the eve of independence day celebrations late last month.

Pastor Ken visited the VBTC newsroom demanding that a story on the matter be censored in view of his ministerial position and potential damage to his reputation.

He threatened to sue the journalists for defamation but his attempts to stop the story being rebroadcast were unsuccessful.

In March the Minister of Public Utilities and Infrastructure was involved in the assault on the publisher of the Vanuatu Daily Post.

Harry Iauko was fined about 150 US dollars after he pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the assault on Marc Neil Jones.