SKATE DEPLORES BAN ON MEDIA

http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20020626/news.htm

PORT MORESBY (Pacific Media Watch): Former Papua New Guinea prime minister Bill Skate has embarked on courting the international community by pledging to end the outgoing Morauta Government's policy to refuse international journalists from entering the country, the Post-Courier reports.

In a statement after his declaration as relected MP for the National Capital District, Skate said transparency was the main victim of the "Morauta media blacklist policy".

"During my previous government we never banned any international media from Papua New Guinea. We had an open relationship with news organisations," Skate claimed.

He said if he was called on to form the new government he would restore media freedom in the country and blamed the last Morauta/Ogio-led Government for banning dozens of journalists from reputable international news agencies from entering PNG.

"This practice is undemocratic and in violation of one of the most central tenants of good governance Ñ transparency. This lack of transparency made it easy for the Morauta government to increase our foreign debt by 25 percent in three years," he said.

+++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 Journalism Program at the University of the South Pacific, Bushfire-Media, Journalism Studies at the University of PNG (UPNG), the Australian Centre for Independent Journalism (ACIJ), and Pactok Communications, in Sydney and Port Moresby.

© 1996-2002 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: delaro@clear.net.nz Fax: (+679) 30 5779 or (+612) 9660 1804
Mail: PO Box 9, Annandale, NSW 2038, Australia
or PO Box 78028, Auckland 1002, New Zealand
New website: http://www.pmw.c2o.org

Return to Pacific Media Watch