We Won't Sell Paper Shares: Minister

* See Cafe Pacific item: http://www.asiapac.org.fj/cafepacific/resources/aspac/post4.html *Photo

SUVA: The Fiji Islands government won't sell its stake in the Daily Post newspaper, Assistant Information Minister Lekh Ram Vayeshnoi said yesterday, the Fiji Times reports.

Vayeshnoi said the [Labour Party-led] government would continue with its plans to strengthen the newspaper.

He said media reports on possible sale of the government's 44 percent stake to another newspaper [Fiji Sun] were rubbish.

"Our initial plan is to assist in bringing the newspaper up and recover the investment made by the previous government," he said.

"We don't intend to sell our shares."

The government also owns unit Trust of Fiji, which has 23 percent stake in the newspaper.

Vayeshnoi said the government was in the process of appointing its two representatives on the Daily Post board.

The four-member board is chaired by Colonial representative Tomasi Vuetilovoni.

Unit Trust is represented on the Daily Post board by its former chairman Lionel Yee.

Yee was dropped from the Unit Trust board and is likely to leave the newspaper board.

Last month, the government complained to the Daily Post board about the the appointment of its new general manager, Ranjit Singh.

According to media reports, the fledgling Fiji Sun newspaper has approached the government to buy off its 44 percent shares in the Daily Post.

Vayeshnoi said the government had plans for the Daily Post and would not sell its shares.

+++niuswire

PACIFIC MEDIA WATCH is an independent, non-profit, non-government organisation comprising journalists, lawyers, editors and other media workers, dedicated to examining issues of ethics, accountability, censorship, media freedom and media ownership in the Pacific region. Launched in October 1996, it has links with the Journalism Program at the University of the South Pacific, Bushfire Media, the Australian Centre for Independent Journalism, and Pactok Communications, in Sydney and Port Moresby.

(c)1996-2000 Copyright - All rights reserved.

Items are provided solely for review purposes as a non-profit educational service. Copyright remains the property of the original producers as indicated. Recipients should seek permission from the copyright owner for any publishing. Copyright owners not wishing their materials to be posted by PMW please contact us. The views expressed in material listed by PMW are not necessarily the views of PMW or its members.

Recipients should rely on their own inquiries before making decisions based on material listed in PMW. Please copy appeals to PMW and acknowledge source.

For further information, inquiries about joining the Pacific Media Watch

listserve, articles for publication, and giving feedback contact Pacific

Media Watch at: E-mail: niusedita@pactok.net.au or: bfmedia@mpx.com.au Fax: (+679) 30 5779 or (+612) 9660 1804 Mail: PO Box 9, Annandale, NSW 2038, Australia or, c/o Journalism, PO Box 1168, Suva, Fiji Website: http://www.pactok.net/docs/pmw/

© Scoop Media