The Minster for Communications, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, has made it clear that all television stations in Fiji have the right to broadcast the proceedings in Parliament.

He was responding to Opposition parliamentarian Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu, who claimed in his maiden speech yesterday that only FBC TV had permission to transmit parliamentary proceedings.

The Minister said there was no such impediments and the other two stations, Fiji TV and Mai TV, were free to broadcast Parliament if they chose to do so.

“FBC does not have an exclusive right to carry the proceedings. In fact I am aware that Fiji TV has been specifically told in writing that it can do so.

“So what Ratu Naiqama said in the Parliament today is wrong.”

The Minister said media outlets should liaise with the Secretary-General to Parliament to make the necessary arrangements.

“All these stations have to do is to place an encoder in Parliament so that they can receive the feed of the proceedings. The fact is that only FBC TV has so far done so,” he said.

The Minister said media outlets could also choose to broadcast the Internet live stream of Parliament if that was more convenient.

“It is very disappointing that Ratu Naiqama failed to establish the facts before he included this false information in his maiden speech,” he said.

Ratu Naiqama in rounding off his speech had questioned why the other two television stations Fiji TV and Mai TV were not given, what he called, the opportunity to air the proceedings live.

“This new form of democracy is incomplete and a perfect example of this is that to do with information,” Ratu Naiqama said.

“If there is any credibility in His Excellency’s reference of a fairly governed society, why were the other two stations denied the opportunity to broadcast these proceedings?

“This is not fair and not even transparent.”

He also said that the Opposition would be performing its role of making very constructive criticism on Government policies.

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