ON 22 October 2008 The Fiji Times published a letter to the editor from a person named as Vili Navukitu said to be of Queensland, Australia, which described the High Court ruling of Fiji in the Qarase v Bainimarama case in a contemptuous manner.
The Fiji Times accepts that, while persons may comment critically on judgments of the Court, there are reasonable limits on such criticism, and the words used by our correspondent exceeded those limits in casting doubt on the integrity and independence of Fiji's courts.
The Fiji Times acknowledges that, in publishing those comments, it committed a contempt of court.
For this it apologises, unreservedly, to the judges in the case and to the High Court of Fiji. It acknowledges that, as a responsible newspaper publisher, it must exercise great care in publishing comments on legal proceedings, the judiciary and the court system generally.
The Fiji Times has offered to pay costs to the office of the Attorney-General, which has begun court proceedings in respect of this contempt.
