NCN fee too extravagant - GT&T CEO

NCN fee too extravagant – GT&T CEO

May 14, 2012 News

Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company Yog Mahadeo is accusing the National Communications Network Inc (NCN) of using its monopoly to engage in price hiking towards the very people who take their business to the entity.

Chief Executive Officer of NCN, Mohamed Sattaur

Chief Executive Officer of GT&T, Yog Mahadeo

Mahadeo made the comments hours after negotiations between the two entities on the price for broadcasting the recently concluded GTT 10/10 finals live on NCN television failed. The GT&T CEO in an interview said late last week GT&T was informed through its marketing agent,
Guyenterprise, that NCN had decided to charge the phone company $2 million for the coverage of the games, a price that far exceeds the amount paid to NCN by the phone company for the same service previously.
Mahadeo explained that initially there was an agreement between the two sides for the television station to carry the games live on both radio and television. However, due to the breakdown in talks the games were only carried live on the Voice of Guyana (VOG). He added that even up to the time that the first ball was bowled at the National Stadium on Saturday, GT&T still had its fingers crossed, hoping that NCN would have reconsidered its decision on the clearly hefty and unreasonable price.
According to Mr. Mahadeo, GTT has done a lot of business with NCN in the past by placing thousands of ads and sponsoring several programmes aired on the network. He added that the move by NCN has hurt the workers of the company and Guyanese who feel betrayed by NCN’s position. Mahadeo noted that NCN was even listed as a sponsor of the GTT 10/10 games and is well aware of the investment made by the telephone company to make the game a success.
In pointing out that GT&T has over the years been ensuring that it shares its ads among all the media houses in this country, the move by NCN will likely see a change in the business relationship between the two entities. Mahadeo added that while GT&T would like to see such a relationship continue, the company is at the same time prepared to channel its money elsewhere if entities and businesses are not willing to have a relationship with his company.
The GTT CEO also made reference to recent statements by the CEO of NCN, Mohamed Sattaur a few weeks ago that his company was subsiding several programmes on its network including the GTT’s Feel The Beat. Mahadeo added that no company in this country including NCN can boast about subsiding anything that GT&T does.
He pointed out that his company is resourceful enough and it stands on its own. However, Mahadeo explained that NCN might consider its discounts to marketing agencies for the volume of ads they bring to the company. He added that with GuyEnterprise being the entity that handles the advertising placements for his company, NCN may be considering that a form of subsidy to the phone company.
Mahadeo said that his company was totally upset that there was no national coverage of the event. He explained that one of the main reasons GT&T invests in bringing the games live on television is for the thousands of Guyanese who are unable to leave their homes and travel to the National Stadium including seniors and children living in the outlying regions.
He said that the negotiations with NCN also included radio coverage and after the jacking up of the price by NCN the phone company was forced to settle for only the radio coverage which was more economical and feasible. He pointed out that the move by the National Communications Network has left them like the dog without a bone as they were forced to run overseas programming during the time the games would have been on the air and for which NCN would have earned for itself much needed revenue.
The GT&T head lamented that the GTT 10/10 games have brought together thousands of Guyanese from across the country. Further, Mahadeo said that he as an individual hates bullies and moreover his company takes offence at any move by organizations and agencies who think that they can take GT&T for a ride on the basis of its resources and kindness.
The decision of the National Communications Network did not hurt the GTT 10/10 games as the attendance to the event was overwhelming Mahadeo added.
He said that GT&T will continue to fulfill its responsibility to the Guyanese people since it remains true and genuine to everything that it does for the Guyanese public especially on the entertainment and performing arts fronts.