LOCAL media outlets in the country have been reminded to verify any information before releasing them to the public.
Attorney General (AG) John Muria Jnr issued the call yesterday during the talk-back-show over the national broadcaster.
He was speaking in light of the vaccines that will be imported into the country sooner.
“Local media outlets must spread the verified stories about the vaccines so that we cannot cause fear to the public.”
He said information disseminated to the public from the media must be verified and properly researched to give correct information for public consumption.
“According to our regulation stated that any information given out for public must be verified and properly researched,” he said.
When the public received unverified information (especially the untrained mind) it will make them worry, fear and panic.
He said it is an offence for anyone to publish unverified information.
“I call on media in this country to verify their information before disseminating to the public about the coming vaccines to not cause fear, worry, and panic to our people.
“When you write about the vaccines please verify your information with the Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) so that the information you published must be correct and trustworthy.”
Muria Jnr reiterated that our people in the villages are most vulnerable to unverified information because they tend to panic and frighten by incorrect and unverified information published by media.
By LACHLAN EDDIE
Newsroom, Honiara
