Attorney General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum stressed that the ‘parliamentary privilege like powers’ given to the Prime Minister and government ministers under the State Proceedings Amendment Decree will not be abused.
While reacting to comments made by Fiji Labour Party Leader, Mahendra Chaudhry, the Attorney General said the decree does not mean that government ministers will go around and start defaming everybody.
Sayed-Khaiyum said that the amendment is to ensure that the ministers are able to publicise information through evidence received and also allows the media to run the information without fear of legal action.
Mahendra Chaudhry had told Radio NZ that the amendment decree is ridiculous as it only gives legal protection to the government ministers to make any public statements from now until the next parliament sits.
Chaudhry then went on to say that the decree is making the country like a banana republic.
However Sayed-Khaiyum said that the fact that Chaudhry can make these comments shows that people can make comments about the government.
He also said that it is sad that Chaudhry is misleading people overseas and saying that Fiji is like a banana republic.
Story by: Vijay Narayan
