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ABC disappointed by Fiji transmitter shutdown

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ABC Radio says it is disappointed Fiji's military backed regime has shutdown its FM transmitters.

Earlier Wednesday, officers from Fiji's Ministry of Information and soldiers escorted local technicians to the two Radio Australia FM transmitters and ordered them to be shut down.

The director of the ABC's international operations, Murray Green, says the shutdown of the transmitters removes one of the few remaining uncensored sources of information in Fiji.

"Fiji's had a great tradition of independent journalism," he said.

"That appears, at least for the moment, to have come to an end."

Speaking on Radio New Zealand, interim prime minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama has refused to say when the emergency regulations, and censorship will end.

"Hopefully in a month, but we will see," he said.

Radio Australia is still being heard in Fiji on its shortwave transmitters.

Crisis escalates

Meanwhile, the political crisis in Fiji continues to escalate.

Fiji's interim government has silenced the local media and now it has taken control of the economy.

On Wednesday soldiers seized the Reserve Bank and Sada Reddy was appointed the bank's new governor.

The Fiji dollar was then devalued by 20 per cent.

Executive director of the Australia Fiji Business Council Frank Yourn says there is a view that Fiji's dollar has been overvalued.

"Some devaluation was warranted but whether it was 20 per cent that was justified really remains to be seen," he said.

He says the former Reserve Bank governor was doing a great job.

Commodore Bainimarama says the changes are for the good of Fiji.