The Public Emergency Regulation is in place.

President Ratu Josefa Iloilo has also gazetted a Public Emergency Regulation last night dated Friday 10th April 2009.

It stated that in exercise of the powers vested in Ratu Josefa Iloilo as President and Commander-in-Chief of the Military Force and pursuant to the Public Safety Act, he has made the regulation.

The Public Emergency Regulation is valid for 30 days and maybe extended by the President by order in the gazette.

Meanwhile, two personnel from the Ministry of Information have been placed at different media outlets while news directors have been advised to ensure nothing inciteful is broadcast or printed based on the Public Emergency Regulation, which is now in effect.

Section 16 (1) of the PER which has been gazetted stated:

Where the Permanent Secretary for Information has reason to believe that any broadcast or publication may give rise to disorder and may thereby cause undue demands to be made upon the police or the armed forces, or may result in a breach of the peace, or promote disaffection or public alarm, or undermine the government and the State of Fiji, he or she may, by order, prohibit such broadcast or publication.

Section 16 (2) stated that:

In order to give effect to subsection (1), any broadcaster or publisher upon direction by the Permanent Secretary for Information must submit to him or her all material for broadcast or publication material before broadcast or publication.

Section 16 (3) stated that:

Any person or entity which fails in any way whatsoever to comply with the provisions of this section may be ordered by the Commissioner of Police or Officer Commanding upon advice from the Permanent Secretary for Information to cease all activities and operations.

Stay with us, we will have more on the Public Emergency Regulation in the next hour.