Govt hits out at International media reports

The government has hit out at International media reports on the death of a New Zealand woman in the country as inaccurate.

Permanent Secretary Sharon Smith Johns said a recent report by New Zealand journalist Michael Field is grossly inaccurate, mischievous, insensitive and deliberately misinforming the public.

It has been highlighted by international media reports that the Fiji police Force had concealed information and the Fiji media censored for the sake of the tourism industry.

She said it’s clear that Field needs to check the reliability of his sources of information so he can stop publishing stories based on rumors and gossip which are clearly written to undermine tourism, the Fiji Police Force and government.

Sharon Smith Johns has also refuted claims made by Field that media enquiries to the Fijian Government have been ignored.

She said Thirty three year old Cheslia Mary and her sixty one year old partner were on a cruise in the Yasawa group when she reportedly went missing.

Mary's body was found washed up on the beach on June 16th by two women from the Matacawalevu village.

Post mortem results confirmed drowning as the cause of death as she was intoxicated on the night she disappeared.

Story by: Sofaia Koroitanoa