TWO RULES: One for foreign journalists and another for regime lackey journalists in Fiji. MIDA chairman Raj says PACMACS must distance itself from ABC and Dorney; supports regime's decision to ban Dorney!

                                                                                                                                                                                                               Fiji’s Media Industry Development Authority has asked PACMAS (Pacific Media Assistant Scheme) to distance itself from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and the Sean Dorney issue. MIDA chairman Ashwin Raj has called on PACMAS to register their workshop with MIDA and enter into the established protocols of MIDA, something he believes they should have done in the first place. His call came after PACMAS- a body that supports better governance in the Pacific region by contributing to the development of a diverse, independent and professional Pacific media system called off a workshop that they were suppose to hold in Fiji after the Sean Dorney incident.

“PACMAS has withdrawn one of their workshop that they were conducting here but that is unfortunate; but that is PACMAS’s prerogative; The point is we have made it very clear that we’re waiting for an official retraction from the ABC for the statement that Mr Dorney has actually made,” Raj said. “And on that basis we will re-evaluate our relationship with PACMAS and ABC, now given the fact that we haven’t received a retraction but a rather an attempt to explain why he did what he did, I am suggesting that in order for us to engage with PACMAS; I’m asking that PACMAS distant itself from the position assumed by the ABC and on the Sean Dorney issue,” he adds.

Raj said they were willing to discuss an amicable way forward while equally ensuring that this was what PACMAS needed to do “They need to equally ensure that they work with ABC in ensuring that ABC also upholds the ethical standards of responsible journalism.” Raj says there was no point for PACMAS to come to Fiji, training all Fijian journalists and giving them certificates of participation when they cannot hold their journalist to adhere to the same standard of responsible journalism.

“This needs to be a level playing field; I need to see substantial evidence that PACMAS is also working with the ABC towards that end.” MIDA has also supported the decision by government to ban Australian journalist Dorney from coming to Fiji.

Though Dorney is banned, other journalists can visit Fiji as Raj says the ban is not blanketed at any organisation. Raj confirms that he was not satisfied with the reply from Head Audience and Consumer Affairs Kirstin McLeish and he would pursue the matter with the Australian Communications and Media Authority. Source: Fijilive News.
Fijileaks Editor: http://www.fijileaks.com/2/post/2014/03/regimes-media-stormtroopers-take-revenge-on-abc-journalist-dorney-by-preventing-cba-pacmas-from-holding-digital-media-training-in-fiji.html