N
SATURDAY, AUGUST 13, 1994
REFER
BE
IF
MAY THE CASE INVOLVED A BROADCASTER, THE COMMISSION THE MATTER TO THE BROADCASTING AUTHORITY FOR APPROPRIATE ACTION TO TAKEN.
HE SAID THE COMMISSION HAD NO INTENTION TO INTERFERE WITH THE POLITICAL INCLINATION OF A MEDIA ORGANISATION UNDER THE PRINCIPLES OF FREE PRESS AND FREEDOM OF SPEECH.
"BUT I HOPE THAT THEY CAN TREAT CANDIDATES FAIRLY AND ON EQUAL FOOTING AND REPORT ELECTION NEWS BASED ON ALL FACTUAL
HE ACCOUNTS,"
SAID.
HE SAID A FALSE REPORT MIGHT LEAD TO LIBEL AND EVEN BE PROSECUTED FOR MAKING A FALSE STATEMENT AND MISREPRESENTATION.
THE CHAIRMAN SAID IF A MEDIA ORGANISATION DELIBERATELY PUBLICISED CERTAIN CANDIDATES OR POLITICAL PARTIES, THEN IT MIGHT BE REGARDED AS AN ELECTION ADVERTISEMENT AND HAVING INCURRED ELECTION EXPENSES,
"IT IS AN OFFENCE FOR ANYONE TO INCUR ELECTION EXPENSES UNLESS HE IS A CANDIDATE OR A PERSON AUTHORISED IN WRITING TO DO SOBY A CANDIDATE," HE SAID.
EVEN IF HE IS GIVEN WRITTEN AUTHORISATION BY A CANDIDATE,
THE SUM INVOLVED MIGHT BE REGARDED AS DONATIONS AND BE COUNTED AS ELECTION EXPENSES,
1
SUCH COMPLAINT CASES MAY BE DIRFCTED TO THE POLICE OR THI INDEPENDENT COMMISSION AGAINST CORRUPTION FOR INVESTIGATION ACTION, HE ADDED.
AND
WETTEST JULY ON RECORD
*
A TOTAL RAINFALL OF 1,147.2 MILLIMETRES WAS RECORDED LAST MONTH, A ROYAL OBSERVATORY REPORT RELEASED TODAY (SATURDAY) SHOWED, MAKING IT THE HIGHEST FOR THE MONTH OF JULY AND THE SECOND HIGHEST FOR ANY MONTH SINCE RECORDS BEGAN IN 1884.
THE WEATHER WAS UNSETTLED ON MOST DAYS AND THERE WERE 13 DAYS WITH RAINFALL OF OVER 25 MILLIMETRES.
THE MONTH WAS ALSO UNUSUALLY CLOUDY WITH TOTAL BRIGHT SUNSHINE AMOUNTING TO ONLY 136.4 HOURS, THE SECOND LOWEST VALUE FOR JULY.
TORRENTIAL RAIN FELL ON JULY 22 TO 24 WITH A TOTAL OF 611.2 MILLIMETRES RECORDED AT THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY, THE HIGHEST FOR AVY THREE CONSECUTIVE DAYS IN JULY.
THE RAINSTORM BLACK WARNING WAS ISSUED FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS YEAR ON JULY 23.
/WITH MONTHLY .....