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China TV launched in Guyana
– questions remain on acquisition of licence
Minister Robeson Benn and Chinese Ambassador Zhang Limin after signing the agreement.
The government last evening cemented its agreement to have China Central TV (CCTV) broadcast in Guyana on a 24/7 basis.
China TV was launched on Channel 27/Cable 78 last evening, but officials of neither Guyana nor China addressed questions surrounding the granting of the licence to the station.
China TV was granted its broadcast licence through a government arrangement, but the government has been telling the town of Linden that it cannot get a licence through a government arrangement but would have to apply through the National Frequency Management Unit. (NFMU).
There is a definitive date when the promise was made to the Chinese to have the station here. Yesterday, Chinese Ambassador Zhang Limin said that the project was going on for many years.
The Chinese Ambassador and acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Robeson Benn switched on the station. The facilities have been built in the compound of state TV National Communications Network. The transmitter for the channel is hooked up to the NCN transmitter.
The acting Chief Executive Officer of NCN, Michael Gordon, explained that the technical process began on September 23, 2010 with the arrival of Chinese engineers. NCN facilitated the Chinese and at any one time there were up to 10 technical personnel from China in Guyana.
Both Minister Benn and the Chinese Ambassador hailed the setting up of the station in Guyana as a sign of the friendly relations between Guyana and China.
The Chinese Ambassador said that CCTV broadcasts would help Guyana to understand Chinese culture and history. Veteran broadcaster Enrico Woolford has been pressing for the NFMU to reveal who has been allocated what frequencies in Guyana, but to no avail.
“The government of Guyana gave China a 24-hour channel on Guyana’s ‘limited electro-magnetic spectrum’ ahead of its own and CARICOM Citizens under the CARICOM Single Market and Economy mechanism,” Woolford recently stated.
Executive Member of the opposition coalition APNU, Lance Carberry, this week said that the government needs to clarify the arrangements under which CCTV is licenced to broadcast from Guyana.
Woolford has argued that aside from frequency allocation, the fact that Guyana has Chinese content TV on a frequency paid for and essentially operated by a foreign Government through a State to State mechanism ought to raise eyebrows in any normal sovereign democratic nation.
Thursday, Head of the Presidential Secretariat Dr Roger Luncheon said that issuance of the television licence to China was an agreement in the making prior to former President Jagdeo placing an embargo on the issuing of television licences in 2001.
Luncheon stated that the agreement between Government and China ante dates Jagdeo’s 2001 to 2006 term in Office.
According to Luncheon, the agreement took over 10 years to be consolidated and Government is pleased with its conclusion and turning of the switch to put CCTV on air this year.
He added that Office of the President is responsible for telecommunication and is pleased that the agreement has been finalised.
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