Grey Power Commentary on Poll results showing 66% support for Prime Minister Bainimarama: now no need for Public Emergency Regulations 

Grey Power observed with interest the results of the poll showing 66% support for the Prime Minister of Fiji.

Since the Prime Minister has that level of support now among the population of Fiji it would be timely to remove the Public Emergency Regulations (PER) which places censorship on the media and prohibits public meetings, including social gatherings, without a permit. PER clearly has become superfluous.

Grey Power had noted that articles and news items on the Burness v Fiji National Provident Fund case were not being published by the media in Fiji due to the censorship guidelines set down by the Ministry of Information pursuant to the PER. Of course FNPF did not have the same guidelines imposed on their advertisements which, ad nauseum, have been inflicted on us all without pensioners being allowed any comments in response in order to provide another view.

But with this much level of support for the PM we appeal to him to direct the police and Ministry of Information to remove the PER which censors or has a chilling effect on the media even for news items with public interest content like the FNPF case.

This would also allow an even greater percentage of Fiji’s people to express their support for the PM in a more transparent, independent and enthusiastic way.