SUVA (PMW): The Fiji Islands Media Association has appealed to the Information Ministry for help after being ordered to vacate its Fiji Journalism Institute office in suburban Suva amid controversy over its finances, according to media reports.

Reporting that FIMA was losing the institute in a news story on 4 October 2000, the Fiji Times also called in an editorial for the association to "clean up its mess".

The office which housed the institute is now being used by the Fijian Affairs Board with the permission of the Public Service Commission, the newspaper reported. The institute has not been used for 12 months.

The last active coordinator of the institute was Jo Nata who is now detained in Nukulau prison awaiting a trial for treason for his alleged role in the rebellion led by failed businessman George Speight.

Association president Rita Narayan was quoted by the Fiji Times as saying that "no reason" had been given for the takeover of the premises on September 26. FIMA is the local Fiji media association affiliated to the Pacific Islands News Association (PINA).

"It's time for journalists to take a long hard look at themselves," the Fiji Times said in its editorial.

"For years they have led the charge against corruption and abuse in the highest offices of the land."

The paper cited leading exposes by the media industry such as the Fiji National Bank scandal, travel rorts in the Rabuka administration and alleged "misdeeds associated with deposed Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry's home".

The Fiji Times also said how it had become common in newspaper letters and on talkback radio shows for citizens to highlight corruption.

"Gone are the days when a chief, lawyer, doctor, teacher or policeman was respected for the position he held and a blind eye turned towards his abuse of office," the paper said.

"This has been the work of a free and independent media and for that it must be commended.

"But reports that the Fiji Journalism Institute has been evicted from its offices are disturbing.

"Even more so are revelations that it has not been used for more than 12 months.

"Some of the lecturers remain unpaid two years after providing classes for young journalists.

"The institute's parent body - the Fiji Islands Media Association - has been plagued with financial problems.

"For more than 18 months unsuccessful attempts have been made to call a general meeting or provide audited accounts.

"This is unacceptable."

The Fiji Times added that journalists had a duty to uncover and highlight public misdeeds.

"It is therefore imperative that their house be put in order first," it said.

On 13 October 1998, the Fiji Times reported that FIMA had never been audited in eight years since it was established.

Ousted Assistant Information Minister Lekh Ram Vayeshnoi in the Chaudhry government highlighted FIMA's financial troubles in April. The Daily Post on April 27 reported that FIMA was expected then to hand over a completed audit.

FIMA REPLIES TO THE FIJI TIMES

In a letter to the Fiji Times published on 7 October 2000, FIMA president Rita Narayan said:

I wish to respond to your editorial of 4 October 2000 regarding the responsibilities of journalists and members of the media.

Fiji Islands Media Association (FIMA) has been a very valuable and useful organisation in encouraging young men and women journalists to strive for excellent standards and to motivate them to be the kind of reporters that many newsrooms and news organisations would be proud to have.

FIMA has trained many of these young men and women who now hold senior positions today.

Your editorial was very parochial in that it generalised and stereotyped the media for the actions of a few.

As current president of FIMA, I wish to clarify that FIMA is not what it is made out to be.

I and my able members of a committee which was voted in, in September 1999, did the only thing we could by putting the financial affairs of FIMA into the hands of the Auditor-General's office since we were unsure and had no evidence of previous records of the organisation's finances.

We are awaiting the conclusion of their finding and we have been informed that it will be released soon.

I trust all members of FIMA will not be deterred by the heavy handed editorial that you wrote.

Rita Narayan
President
FIMA
Suva
Fiji Islands

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