Attorney General and Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says he has been informed by the Financial Controller of FBC through the Ministry of Public Enterprise, that the board of FBC has decided to completely pay off the $6 million that is owed to FDB by June.
While making his contribution on the review of Fijian Broadcasting Corporation's 2016 and 2017 Consolidated Annual Reports, Sayed-Khaiyum says the whole issue regarding FBC from the beginning is because the CEO of FBC is his brother.
He made this comment after National Federation Party MP, Lenora Qereqeretabua claimed the erosion of confidence in FBC is because of the perception of nepotism, where the FBC CEO is the brother of Sayed-Khaiyum.
Sayed-Khaiyum says if tomorrow his brother or him drops dead the whole issue of FBC will go away from parliament adding they are only doing this for political mileage.
SODELPA Leader Viliame Gavoka says it is now time that public service broadcasting rights is shared equally with the other television stations.
Gavoka says they know that Fiji Television Limited is owned by Fijian Holdings Limited and the company is having difficult times.
Sayed-Khaiyum says government from time to time advertises with Communications Fiji Limited for radio and further says that the Fiji Corrections Service did a whole program with Fiji TV last year.
Sayed-Khaiyum says the Bainimarama government opened up the frequency and did the frequency rationalization adding they want competition.
He says the entire radio and TV structure has changed, the way people want entertainment, source of news has changed significantly adding that government recognizing this created the Walesi platform.
Sayed-Khaiyum says they have also given time to a TV station to catch up with their license fee payments.
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