The police in Samoa have assured local journalists that they will still be available to answer questions, despite the end of weekly media conferences.
The Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, who is also the police minister, has shut down the conference, blaming journalists for giving Samoa a bad name by reporting stories about rape and incest.
The Samoa Observer had reported Tuilaepa saying the negative reports gives the impression that Samoa is not a place people would like to visit.
He says that in a place like New Zealand, with its much larger population, incest cases are rarely mentioned in the media.
Our correspondent, Autagavaia Tipi Autagavaia, told Don Wiseman he has been told by the police that journalists will still have ready access.
Samoa police spokesperson, Sala'a Moananu Sale Sala'a.
Photo: RNZI / Autagavaia Tipi Autagavaia
Transcript
AUTAGAVAIA TIPI AUTAGAVAIA: What these spokesmen of the police were telling me is that they are no longer calling weeklynews conferences but they are still opening the door for the media to send in questions on whatever matter they have, and the police are always open the door to respond and give answers to whatever issues or matters are raised by the media.
DON WISEMAN: The local reports had said that the prime minister who is now the police minister, he had come down on that weekly press conference because of the media forever running stories on sex crimes and that's what upset him.
ATA: Yeah well that's his concern. That's the prime minister's concern but in the weekly media conference with police spokesman, whatever the police is giving to the media, especially, well for example rape cases, indecent assault cases, incest cases these are matters from the police that the media report. So there shouldn't be a control from the minister prime, as the minister of police on that, because it comes from the police. But when I spoke with the police spokesman he said well they are no longer doing that weekly conference right now but he is providing his email and his cell phone number to the media on whatever matter they have to question the police on whatever, the door is still open.
DW: And that would include incest and other sex crimes?
ATA: Of course. If there are incest cases, the media found out and they [the offences] happening in the community, well it is the duty for the media to call the police, whether they are investigating this incest or rape or indecent assault case, you know.
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