Latest update March 21st, 2025 7:03 AM

Guyana's largest selling daily and New York's most popular weekly

Latest News

AFC defers Broadcast Legislation in House

Mar 12, 2010 News

…as Gov’t signals non-support to Speaker

Alliance For Change (AFC) Chairman Khemraj Ramjattan who was slated to table the Broadcast Legislation deferred the Bill.
Ramjattan told the House that he was made to understand that the Prime Minister had, by way of a letter to the Speaker of the House, indicated that the Government was not prepared to support the Bill at that sitting.
Ramjattan subsequently told this newspaper that the decision to pull the Bill was embedded in the fact that he did not want to have the process started only to have it struck down.
He expressed his surprise at the action of the Prime Minister, on behalf of the Government, while questioning which provisions in his proposal they did not approve of or want to see included as part of the Bill.
Ramjattan said that he was willing to have the Bill sent to a Special Select Committee where it could be refined with input from the Government.
He said too that he was also surprised, given the fact that there has been an agreement between the government and the Opposition that such legislation is necessary.
The explanatory note of the Bill that was deferred reads, “This Bill seeks to make provision for the establishment of a Broadcasting Authority which will be an independent professional statutory entity with the purpose of licensing broadcasting agencies namely, radio stations and television stations.”
The Bill further seeks to regulate the conditions for the grant, variation, transfer and cancellation of such licences, with provision also being made for penalties for breaches of conditions by licencees, and for consequential and related matters connected therewith.
Ramjattan had told this newspaper that should the PPP Government use any plausible excuse not to support the Bill, it would reinforce the AFC’s position that the Government wants to continue its domination of especially the radio waves and its monopoly in that form of media.
“What is put together in this Broadcasting Bill of 2010 is substantially what was agreed to by the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) and certain members of Civil Society arising out of meetings held by the Committee on Radio Monopoly and Non-Partisan Boards during the period 2001/2002.”

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| March, 17th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

NSC, Office of the DPP to host Criminal Law and Sexual Offences Act meeting tomorrow

NSC, Office of the DPP to host Criminal Law and Sexual Offences Act...

Mar 21, 2025

Kaieteur Sports– In a proactive move to foster a safer and more responsible sporting environment, the National Sports Commission (NSC), in collaboration with the Office of the Director of...
Read More
Lucas Chung maintains strong standing at 2nd Qualifier

Lucas Chung maintains strong standing at 2nd...

Mar 21, 2025

Farm Supplies Ltd. supports Bartica Regatta 2025

Farm Supplies Ltd. supports Bartica Regatta 2025

Mar 21, 2025

Legislation and Investment: Trinidad to Brazil, Guyana finds new lifeline

Legislation and Investment: Trinidad to Brazil,...

Mar 21, 2025

Three more matches billed for this weekend

Three more matches billed for this weekend

Mar 21, 2025

CM Khan rules at 2025 National Blitz Chess Championships

CM Khan rules at 2025 National Blitz Chess...

Mar 21, 2025

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.

Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]