(G) Bainimarama Appeals to Media for Fair Coverage on People's Charter

Abridged from Pacific Media Centre posting. Comment on this item www.pacificmediacentre.blogspot.com For full Government release, see www.fiji.gov.fj/publish/cat_press.shtml

Iterim PM Voqere Bainimarama has appealed to the media to report the facts on the People's Charter and State of the Nation and Economy (SNE) Report fairly so people could form informed opinions and make decisions based on good and reliable information. The media, he said, had a duty and important role to play in raising awareness about the People’s Charter and the details of the proposed changes.

He noted that their previous active opposition on the work of National Council for Building a Better Fiji appeared to be based on the idea that the Charter was being imposed by a government that had no mandate But reaffirmed that the Charter process had been inclusive and participatory and represented Fiji's own way of addressing its deep rooted, complex and fundamental problems.

Bainimarama reaffirmed that the interim government was firmly committed to true parliamentary democratic governance, stability and peace in Fiji. He pointed out that changes introduced through the People’s Charter would be comprehensive and not a process happening at an objective abstract level in the systems of government, the laws, economy and so on as people assume.He further stated that the People’s Charter was about change of the individual person at the very fundamental level.

Bainimarama highlighted that this was no means an easy challenge adding Fiji as a nation could not change for the better unless people at the personalevel changed their views, attitude, motives and actions and how they worked and acted in various situations. He said the People’s Charter was about promoting shared value of equality and dignity for all citizens, respect for different beliefs, good governance, social justice, economic growth, public service, good governance, social justice, economic growth, rewarding people on merit and consensus building on issues that cause conflicts and so on.