Florence Syme-Buchanan
RAROTONGA: A little over two weeks into his new job as Speaker of Parliament and Sir Geoffrey Henry seems to have taken exception to reportage by the country’s daily newspaper Cook Islands News.
It appears the new speaker may be so aggrieved with an article which may have been printed by CINews to the point that he will refer it to the Privileges Committee.
CINews has printed a total of 81 Parliament-related articles since 18 February, the first day the House sat and Sir Geoffrey was sworn in as Speaker.
He has instructed parliamentary staff to tell CINews to provide copies of newspapers and articles which are related in any way to Parliament or the offices of Parliament.
Furthermore the instruction is that CINews is to provide copies of articles regarding all procedures of Parliament prior to, during and since the opening of Parliament.
“That matter may be an article written by one of your reporters or a letter to the editor or a smoke signals comment, a cartoon or whatever,” stated the letter signed by Parliament Clerk Nga Valoa acting on Sir Geoffrey’s instruction.
The request is vague as staff haven’t been specific about exactly what CINews material Sir Geoffrey may not be happy about and could feel is possibly in contempt of Parliament.
In a written response to Valoa, managing editor John Woods has declined the “invitation to provide reference material for the Speaker”.
CINews believes Sir Geoffrey, a former politician for over 40 years, may have been put out by an article published on 16 February, two days before he became speaker.
The article quoted independent MP Norman George. George had alleged Sir Geoffrey was demanding an $85,000 salary package be attached to the Speaker’s job. George had said at the time if Sir Geoffrey wanted to help the country “...he should accept what is there.”
Neither Sir Geoffrey nor Prime Minister Henry Puna took up an invitation by CINews to comment on the matter in the same article quoting Norman George.
As a non-elected member of Parliament, Sir Geoffrey is entitled to yearly pay packet of $35,000.
CINews interviewed CIP president Rau Nga and Finance Minister Mark Brown on the subject. Nga said he knew that if Sir Geoffrey became speaker he would be entitled to a $35,000 salary, “we know the facts, that’s the law so let’s stick to the law of the country. There is a pay that has been allocated for the position and we don’t go any higher than that.”
Brown had said setting the speakers pay package is not determined by government. “Under the civil list the non-member salary for the speaker is $35,000 per annum.”
CINews felt it was in the public interest to report the comments made by George, Nga and Brown.
Again CINews had to publically apologise. CINews is of the view that it would be difficult for Sir Geoffrey to take exception to the article published on 16 February as he hadn’t been sworn in nor had Parliament sat.
It’s not the first time…
Florence Syme-Buchanan
BACKGROUND: If CINews is hauled before the Privileges Committee, it won’t be the first time. And like the previous two occasions, it will draw international media attention.
Twice before, CINews directors, editors and cartoonists have faced the powerful Parliamentary Privileges Committee for publishing material that MPs felt mocked Parliament and their roles. Those occasions were widely regarded by the public and regional media as an effort by Parliament to control the daily newspaper.
Former Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) president Monica Miller said at the time that if the Privileges Committee found against the daily newspaper it would have “chilling repercussions for free speech in the Cook Islands”.
Both times the committee decided CINews had been in contempt of Parliament and the newspaper was ordered to make public apologies. The findings were widely reported by regional media as they were seen to be in contradiction to the fundamental principles of freedom of speech and democracy.
The first appearance before the Privileges Committee was in 1993 for publishing a cartoon that one particular MP did not find amusing. The cartoon showed a hand bearing the title "Parliament" holding a gun that passed through MP Norman George to rest against the head of a woman called "Freedom of Speech".
Sir Geoffrey Henry, who was prime minister at the time, presented the findings of the committee saying it had interpreted the cartoon to mean that Parliament was threatening freedom of speech of the people of the Cook Islands. At the time, the committee was not unanimous in the view that CINews had breached the privileges of Parliament.
CINews was found to be in contempt of Parliament and was directed to publicly apologise. Three years later, CINews was again before the Privileges Committee that Sir Geoffrey also sat on. This time for publishing a Kata cartoon that former MP Ngereteina Puna felt implied there were some MPs of unsound mind in Parliament. – Cook Islands News/Pacific Media Watch
Pacific Media Watch
