A Samoan journalist says the
country’s prime minister’s decision to temporarily ban
Samoa Observer reporters from government press
conferences was “premature”.
Regional media
associations have weighed in on the issue urging Prime
Minister La’aulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Schmidt to
reverse the ban.
La’aulialemalietoa said the
Observer had been unfair
and inaccurate in its reporting on him, particularly
during his health stay in New Zealand.
“While I
strongly support the principles of the public’s right to
information and freedom of the media, it is important that
reporting adheres to ethical standards and responsible
journalism practices, given the significant role and
influence media plays in informing our community,” he
said.
Galumalemana Tipi Autagavaia, who is also an
executive member of the Journalists’ Association of Samoa
known as JAWS, said the announcement of the ban came as a
shock.
On Wednesday, JAWS issued a statement calling
on the prime minister to lift the ban – and also calling on
journalists to do their work according to the code of
practice, and observe the code of ethics.
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“And also
read [the Code of Ethics] thoroughly because the guideline
for us in the way we do our work is there. But we stand for
any other media outlet in a democratic country; we stand
strong for freedom of the press, freedom of
expression.”
He told Pacific Waves there is an
existing complaints process in place.
“If there are
concerns raised because of some of the reports and the way
the journalists of the daily paper handled their approach to
meet the prime minister last Saturday to confirm his return
to Samoa, there is a procedure put in place in the Samoa
Media Act to file a complaint.
“I think that’s the
process I think should be followed before any such decision
of a ban is reached.”
Galumalemana said assumptions
can often be made about journalists’ political
leanings.
“Even in myself, if I report maybe two or
three stories in a week or in a bulletin or from the HRPP
[Human Rights Protection Party] the social media people will
[say] ‘oh, he’s pro HRPP’. And if I report a lot of stories
from FAST [Faatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi] – ‘oh, he’s a
pro-FAST reporter’.
“This is our work, daily work. We
report what comes out of whatever political party. We don’t
take sides in any political party.”
Meanwhile, former
Samoa Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mataafa’s Samoa Uniting
Party (SUP) has weighed in, saying the new government has
struck at the heart of media freedom.
Fiame called the
move a clear attempt to silence scrutiny.
She said
leadership requires openness, accountability, and the
ability to face criticism without fear or
restriction.
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