With the arrival of little brother Riyaz at the helm of FBC, FDB was instructed to make available a loan of $17,846,315 to the company for it to embark on the television project. The property mortgaged or charged was the company’s assets and undertakings including its uncalled and unpaid capital. The debenture of 26 August 2009 was the following: Crown Lease No 2748 being Lot 2 Section 12 (Pt of) Suva City, Rewa, Area: 1 Rood 19.2 Perches LD Ref 8/59.
By 11 May 2011, the Khaiyum brothers had obtained from the FDB a staggering $22,696,465.05 for the FBC to build a rival television station in post-coup Fiji.
It was only a matter of time before Fiji TV was going to be targeted by them, especially by Aiyaz with the recent infamous television amendment decree.
The freedom blog Fiji Democracy Now has spoken on behalf of the suffering majority regarding the Television (Amendment) Decree 52 of 2012:
“It’s nothing more than a blunt instrument designed to brutally suppress our broadcast media and it’s clearly tailor-made for application against Fiji TV. And the content and timing of the Decree have exposed Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum’s huge ego, vanity and contempt for Fijian values. He is sending out a clear message: “Look at me! I am the big man! Between us, my brother Riyaz and I can control what you see and hear on Fiji’s broadcast media. What I say is law and there’s nothing you inferior minions can do about it!”
What Fiji Democracy Now did not remind we are transcripts of television scripts? We may recall the fate of Fiji TV during the 2000 attempted coup, when it was smashed up by a mob while reporter Riyaz Sayed Khaiyum was chairing the Close UP programme. His guests were Jone Dakuvula and William Parkinson.
The mob was angered by Dakuvula’s courageous and forthright denunciation of the perpetrators of the 2000 coup. What Dakuvula, who later worked for the National Council for Building a Better Fiji Technical Secretariat, and had also served as Chief Assistant Secretary and Press Secretary to Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka and later worked for the Citizens’ Constitutional Forum, noted is equally apt to describe the Khaiyum brothers.
When Riyaz had asked what naked interest, Dakuvula had answered: “The naked interest is, a bunch of people who want to get to power through unlawful means and they couldn't get it through the constitution, and therefore they want it through a coup and they want to impose a system of government here in the name of indigenous rights.”
The brothers, Aiyaz and Riyaz are where they are, not on merit but through the barrel of the gun and the abrogation of the 1997 Constitution – with Aiyaz doing the bidding for Riyaz’s FBC TV against Fiji TV.
Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum was recently lecturing his critics: “Fiji TV, like all other media organisations, needed to adhere to the Media Code of Ethics and Practice and be balanced and fair, not just in form but in substance,”
The 2000 slogan of indigenous rights has been replaced by “brotherly blood rights” in 2012.
“Good Morning, Fiji-Welcome to The Khaiyum Airwaves”:
What’s new: Fijiwood blockbuster featuring the Khaiyums, and directed by Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum.
Clip 52: Television (Amendment) Decree 52 of 2012.