‘Ridiculous’ curbs on media during visit

The media association of Solomon Islands (MASI) urged its members to boycott a media conference for visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi yesterday.

MASI president Georgina Kekea said it was disappointed that the media were only allowed limited access to the visit, and that when media freedom was dictated on someone else’s terms, it impeded the country’s democratic principles.

She said only two questions could be asked – one from a local journalist directed to the Solomon Islands foreign affairs minister, and one from Chinese media, directed to their foreign affairs minister. ‘‘How ridiculous is that?’’

She said the reason given for the arrangements was because of Covid-19 protocols did not stack up. ‘‘This is a very lame excuse.’’

– RNZ