6 Oct 2010

Fiji Times deputy editor takes what is being described as sudden leave

11:05 am on 6 October 2010

The Fiji Times deputy editor, Sophie Foster, has taken what is being described as sudden leave.

The Fiji Sun says the move comes after Sunday Times editor Fred Wesley was appointed acting editor-in-chief following the departure of Netani Rika.

Beverley Tse reports.

"Netani Rika stepped down from his post at the paper, saying this is for the good of the company. The new publisher of the paper, Dallas Swinstead, says while Mr Rika was seen to be anti-government by some sections of the community, he had always tried to be an editor who put Fiji's future above everything else. Meanwhile, the paper's deputy editor Sophie Foster has taken what is being described as sudden leave."

Ms Foster has declined to comment and referred questions to Mr Swinstead. Mr Rika resigned two weeks after News Limited of Australia sold the paper to Fiji's Motibhai group in line with a media decree by the interim regime curbing foreign ownership.