The Government is facing questions over media access after an 88.1FM reporter was stopped by security when he arrived at the St George Government Building for a press conference with chief executive officers on Friday, 14 August.
Etuate Lavulavu of FM88.1 The People’s Radio told Tonga Independent News that a security guard said he was not permitted to enter and that the instruction had come from the Prime Minister’s Office.
Lavulavu said he asked what law or regulation prevented him, as a journalist, from attending the press conference, but the guard could not provide an explanation.
He then challenged the decision and subsequently attended the briefing while the guard contacted the Prime Minister’s Office.
During the livestreamed briefing, Lavulavu raised the matter with the person chairing the conference and was told that it will be discussed at the end of the conference. The chairperson then confirmed to Lavulavu, accodring to Tonga Independent, that the Prime Minister’s Office had advised that he was not permitted to attend.
However, Lavulavu said he was again not given a legal or administrative basis for the instruction and was told to take the matter up with the Prime Minister’s Office.
The incident follows a series of complaints raised by 88.1FM, which was published on Friday by its media counterpart, the Tonga Chronicle, about its treatment at Government press conferences, including restrictions on bringing video cameras, questioning arrangements and an alleged discrepancy in payments made to media attending briefings.
The Tonga Chronicle reported that the station was prevented from bringing video cameras to a March briefing while other media were allowed to do so. It also says it was later told questions would be taken according to the order media arrived, with only one question per outlet, but that this was not consistently applied.
The station has also raised questions over payments made to media attending Government press conferences, saying it learnt in July that such payments were being made but that it had not received any.
88.1FM says it has repeated sought an interview with Prime Minister Lord Fakafanua but has not received a clear response, while the Prime Minister has continued to give interviews to other media.
The Government has previously described its press conferences as part of its commitment to transparency, accountability and keeping the public informed.
The Prime Minister’s Office announced in March that CEO press conferences would be held every two weeks. At Friday’s briefing, there was a lack of presence from the CEOs with only 3 ministries represented.
The latest dispute comes amid broader tensions between 88.1FM and the Government over allegations previously broadcast by the station and Government responses to them.
it remains unclear as to whether there is a formal policy governing access to Government press conferences and specifically the grounds allowing a particular journalist or media organisation to be excluded.
Neither the Prime Minister’s Office nor the Media Association of Tonga has yet to release a statement to explain the basis for Friday’s restriction.
