As investigations continue into the complaint lodged regarding FBC TV’s program Wasea Bhasha, the Leader of the Opposition Ro Teimumu Kepa has called for immediate action by the authorities concerned.
Ro Teimumu says the Minister for Justice and Attorney General, the Chairman of the Media Industry Development Authority and the Police must immediately and jointly act, and bring to account, Riyaz Sayed-Khaiyum as the CEO of the entity and the Chairman and Board of FBC, responsible for what she calls disgraceful and deliberate display of arrogance and hate.
The Opposition Leader says that section 26 of the constitution states that every person is equal before the law and has the right to equal protection, treatment and benefit of the law.
She says the constitution also states that a person must not be unfairly discriminated against directly or indirectly on the grounds of his or her actual or supposed personal characteristics, or circumstances, including race, culture, ethnic or social origins, colour, place of origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, birth, primary language, economic or social or health status, disability, age, religion, conscience, marital status or pregnancy or opinions or beliefs.
Ro Teimumu says that these are outrageous allegations against the indigenous people by the FBC TV program suggesting that they are inferior because they spend too much time on sports, and are academically poor performers because they cannot read English and teachers are too drunk on yaqona.
Ro Teimumu has called on the CEO of FBC to take responsibility and resign from his position and allow a full investigation to be carried out and all the officials associated with the program to be held accountable.
Statement 68 by the Hon'ble Opp Leader on @FBC_TV Educational Show. Read here -> https://t.co/6bs64icBxD pic.twitter.com/CDwYRazAla
— Ro Teimumu Kepa (@rtkepa) October 25, 2016
Fijivillage contacted Riyaz Sayed-Khaiyum and he says that he stands by the apology done by Nemani Bainivalu.
He said that he will not make further comments.
As producer of the show, Nemani Bainivalu had also issued a public apology.
However Ro Teimumu says that under the circumstances, Bainivalu’s official apology is of no consequence.
Police, MIDA and the Fiji Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission are conducting separate investigations.
Police have confirmed that they questioned some senior executives of FBC regarding the complaint yesterday.
Other details will be released later.
However the file will be forwarded to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions after Police complete their investigation.
We have also sent questions to Attorney General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum on Ro Teimumu’s call for immediate action.
