Not all of us gave in ... just saying ... Excerpts from a story by Rex Gardner, deported Publisher of the Fiji Times newspaper ... Over the next few months he remained firmly on the Fiji Times’ case. The military government, and particularly the AG, seemed obsessed with the newspaper and any criticism through its columns or letters. The paper was the only voice of reason and balance in Fiji, taking the military government to task. Our editor, Netani Rika, a brave Fijian, infuriated the regime by referring to it as an “interim government”. The opposition Fiji Sun was on side with the military and sweetly rewarded with a steady flow of government advertising, even though the Fiji Times had a much higher circulation and readership. We ran letters from all sides, many critical of the military rule, high unemployment, failing economy and lucrative jobs dispensed to military mates in the public service. Bainimarama would phone Netani, shouting abuse and invective. He was an editor under immense pressure but, if anything, this seemed to steel him.
Posted on: Sun, 26 Oct 2014 20:08:49 +0000
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