Radio licence delays… Broadcasting Authority still to consider applications from media houses

Jul 02, 2014 News

Almost three years after a number of radio licences were approved under controversial circumstances by former President Bharrat Jagdeo, applications by a number of media houses are still to be considered.

The situation is continuing to the raise anger among the applicants because of the delays.

However, the Board of the Broadcasting Authority, headed by Bibi Shadick, a Member of Parliament for the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), said that the body is methodically examining applications and interviewing the principals.
Currently, the Board is engaging religious-based organizations. It will move unto the applications coming from the outer Regions before moving to the other applications.

Kaieteur News was told that in excess of 30 are currently before the Board.

According to Shadick, the outer Regions are easier to consider because of the availability of spectrum in those areas. The other constraint facing the board is that it comprises professionals who, because of other commitments, can only meet monthly, and on Saturdays.

The radio licences issuance has been a burning one for this Administration after it was disclosed that several were issued by former President Bharrat Jagdeo in his final days of office in 2011.

Several frequencies went to close friends of the Party and even to the sister of current Minister of Natural Resources, Robert Persaud. Five were given also to the publisher of The Mirror, the PPP’s newspaper.

With the Board only established last year, entities were requested to submit fresh applications.

There has been widespread condemnation of the allocations as several media houses, including Kaieteur News, Stabroek News, Capitol News, CNS 6 and HBTV 9 were all overlooked by former President Bharrat Jagdeo. Indeed, his close friend, Dr. Ranjisinghi ‘Bobby’ Ramroop, was the beneficiary of five frequencies.

There had been days of protests by the media houses whose applications were not considered by Jagdeo.

Last week, outgoing US Ambassador, D. Brent Hardt, said he believed that the radio licence issue is a critical one that should be examined again by the Administration.

Speaking with the media, the diplomat who served in different territories within the Caribbean before being posted to Guyana said that during his tenure here, the matter was raised during “diplomatic conversations”.

The Ambassador also pointed out that in a Caribbean context – where radio was considered a matter of fact – he was “surprised” that it was so tightly controlled in Guyana by the State. Its use in airing issues from call-in programmes is critical to societies. The entertainment aspect should also not be discounted.

The Ambassador also noted that the radio licence issue was one of concern to the International Press Institute (IPI), a powerful media body based in Switzerland, which visited Guyana and to which complaints were made. IPI had also done its own investigations.

During the allocations by Jagdeo, days before he completed his two terms in office, he had issued a number of single frequencies to individuals in what observers say was a poorly veiled attempt to make the allocations appear to be fair and transparent.
The Opposition has also been complaining that it has been targeted in a hostile manner by the state media, including the Government Information Agency (GINA) and state TV’s National Communications Network (NCN). Despite Kaieteur News and Stabroek News being recognized as the widest circulated newspapers in Guyana, the IPI said it found more state ads went to the Guyana Chronicle, The Mirror and the Guyana Times, a newspaper closely linked to the Administration.