N.Z. businessman deported from Fiji

Press, 7 October 1987, Page 47

N.Z. businessman deported from Fiji

PA Wellington A Wellington businessman, Mr Jim Carney, tbe deputy publisher of the “Fiji Sun” newspaper, left Fiji an hour before the deadline given to him by the military Government there.

Mr Carney, who arrived in Wellington on Monday evening, was served with a deportation order last Wednesday night by the Fijian police. He was told he had to be out of the country by 8.20 p.m. tomorrow.

While no reason was given for the order, Mr Carney told the "Evening Post” that he was in no doubt it was because of the "Fiji Sun’s” continued criticism of the military Government. In particular, Mr Carney’s editorial on the escape of a group of convicts from Naboro medium-security prison had raised officials’ hackles.

Mr Carney had said It was a “jack-up” by the military, to allow the prisoners to protest in support of the extreme nationalist Taukei movement.

Getting out of Fiji was not easy. There was a waiting list of 200 for the scheduled air services, Mr Carney said.

“I had been told I would be thrown in jail if I did not meet the deadline — I looked at chartering a plane, getting on a ship, all sorts of things.” Eventually a place was found aboard a Qantas flight to Sydney, which left just an hour before the deadline.

The "Fiji Sun” had been prevented from publishing by the military since the second coup on September 25, Mr Carney said.

"But the paper is not dead. If and when Fiji returns to democracy and freedom of the press is re-established, the "Sun” will resume publishing.”. Mr Carney said he hoped other news* media would take a strong stance against continuing censorship by the military and refuse to publish.

While there had been no violence directed against him, he had received many threats, in-

eluding letters posted containing live bullets. Mr Carney said his greatest fear for Fiji was civil war. “The Taukei does not have popular support — the vast majority of Fijians want an end to all this nonsense and a return to normal life,” he said. The continuing political upheaval was ruining the country’s economy, he said.

Mr Carney said he held the ousted Prime Minister, Dr Timoci Bavadra, in the highest regard, having spent time in prison with him just after the second coup. “While he seems a very quiet man, he has a great inner strength, and a very strong Christian faith. He would have been a marvellous Prime Minister because he has the welfare of the people at heart. He is no fool and he is very determined.”

A former general manager of Wellington Newspapers, Ltd, Mr Carney is a director and company secretary of Aw Investments, Ltd.