Under the heading in local newspapers 'PM Takes Journos to task', Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister Somare attacked local journalists saying they were not good enough to get a job anywhere overseas.
He claimed that PNG journalists were only reporting bad news about their country and paying too much attention to what NGO's were saying.
What Sir Michael either can't or won't understand however is the PNG journalists are only reporting facts.
The detrimental effects that his own government is imposing on his own people and their way of life are his responsibility, not that of PNG reporters.
It is not PNG that is being misrepresented.
What Somare doesn't like the look of when he reads the morning's news, is the big mirror the press are holding up in front of him and his cartel.T
he means to change what Sir Michael doesn't like are solely with himself.
Trying to shift the blame to innocent journalists only highlights and compounds the injustice
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Today's The National
PM takes journos to taskPrime Minister Sir Michael Somare hit out at PNG newspaper journalists yesterday, saying they were not good enough to get a job elsewhere in the world.
Speaking at a news conference in defence of controversial Environment Law amendments passed by Parliament recently, the prime minister questioned the credentials and training of reporters.
He accused journalists of taking a lot of issues "out of context" and not giving the people the right information.
"I'm not very happy, some reports are very detrimental to what government has done. You are most privileged group of people. Expressing views against the government is a constitutional right, but sometimes when there are no facts, your report is detrimental to our country.
"I have not seen in any (newspaper) column praising this country. I thought you are a trained mind, reporting with facts and responsibility."
He accused reporters of giving too much coverage to NGOs "who are not representatives of the people".
"Most of you are young people. You are lucky you got only two newspapers in the country.
"You apply for a job internationally, you think they'll give you a job with this reporting that you've got? No. You have to be factual, you have to be accurate. You have to know your subject matter."
He said when he went overseas to promote PNG on the global stage, he was accused of going on jaunts.
"I travel to put PNG on the map, when I come home I get reports from people like you, which are pathetic.
"One feels what's the point of wasting time trying to promote a country which does not know what it is talking about."
He accused journalists of taking a lot of issues "out of context" and not giving the people the right information.
"I'm not very happy, some reports are very detrimental to what government has done. You are most privileged group of people. Expressing views against the government is a constitutional right, but sometimes when there are no facts, your report is detrimental to our country.
"I have not seen in any (newspaper) column praising this country. I thought you are a trained mind, reporting with facts and responsibility."
He accused reporters of giving too much coverage to NGOs "who are not representatives of the people".
"Most of you are young people. You are lucky you got only two newspapers in the country.
"You apply for a job internationally, you think they'll give you a job with this reporting that you've got? No. You have to be factual, you have to be accurate. You have to know your subject matter."
He said when he went overseas to promote PNG on the global stage, he was accused of going on jaunts.
"I travel to put PNG on the map, when I come home I get reports from people like you, which are pathetic.
"One feels what's the point of wasting time trying to promote a country which does not know what it is talking about."
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