Latest update January 18th, 2025 7:00 AM
Controversial radio, cable licences…Multiple media houses not necessarily freedom of press
General Secretary of the Guyana Trade Union Congress, Lincoln Lewis, believes that a multiplicity of media houses could never translate into freedom of press where only close friends to the Government dominate the airwaves.
As such, citizens need to mount pressure by taking to the streets the struggle to have those licences revoked since Government is unmoved about the unfair granting of radio and cable licences by former President Bharrat Jagdeo.
Lewis expressed that sentiment on a live television call-in programme on Thursday. He had shared the stage with social activist and columnist Frederick Kissoon. The moderator was Dale Andrews of
Trade Unionist Lincoln Lewis, social activist Frederick Kissoon and Dale Andrews of Kaieteur News on live call-in programme.
Kaieteur News.
Lewis said that the granting of the licences by Jagdeo before leaving Office was, by extension, an action of the People’s Progressive Party. As such, the only recourse citizens have is to take the struggle to the streets. This, he opined, will cause Government to relent but, of course, it will find a way to fight back.
Jagdeo awarded his best friend, Dr. Ranjisinghi ‘Bobby’ Ramroop five radio frequencies; New Guyana Company Limited, five; and Telcor and Cultural Broadcasting Inc another five.
Telcor’s director is Ruth Baljit, who happens to be the sister of Minister Robert Persaud.
New Guyana Company publishes the party’s newspaper, Mirror. The contact person is PPP Member of Parliament (MP), Dharamkumar Seeraj. Jagdeo also gave two cable licences to two of his closest friends, Vishok Persaud and Brian Yong.
Lewis also took a swipe at the Opposition and some in civil society who he claimed aided and abetted Jagdeo’s abominable behaviour over the years. He said that the issuance of the licences touches the core of society where persons elected believe that they are above the Constitution.
“Jagdeo’s behaviour has been abominable over the years. This is a man who did as he liked. And people believe and argue that the constitution and the laws can’t hold this man accountable over the years,” he stressed.
Lewis is of the opinion that from the outset the Opposition should have challenged that concept in Court to rein in Jagdeo. But, even prominent lawyers accepted the perception that the President is above the constitution but that is not written in the Constitution, he added.
The Trade Unionist contended that if the recipients of the licences are law abiding citizens, they should return them because those frequencies were granted illegally.
He said that the current Opposition allowed Government to appoint 95 percent of the board of the Broadcasting Authority while only having a five percent input. That composition in itself is not equal since Government would select friends and supporters.
According to Lewis, the Opposition must use its majority in the National Assembly to benefit the society.
Kissoon, expressing similar expectations of the Opposition parties, said that A Partnership for National Unity and the Alliance For Change should seek to amend the Broadcasting Act in the National Assembly.
While, Lewis believes that Government will relent once citizens take the struggle to the streets, Kissoon does not expect any radicalism from the Opposition Parties. Kissoon said that the parties are hedging their bets, shaping their policies and manicuring their political fingernails for the future elections.
“They believe their combined strength can defeat the PPP at the polls. They are afraid of radical consequences because they feel it will affect their electoral chances. What you have in Parliament now is critical support,” he added.
According to the social activist, President Donald Ramotar, even though still General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party Civic, should not be brought into the equation since he is an appendage of Jagdeo.
Kissoon said that Ramotar has limited political skills and his tenure in office will end as a footnote President.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
Burnham must be having a good laugh
Peeping Tom… Kaieteur News- Each week, the more Bharrat Jagdeo speaks, the more the lines between party and government... more
Clarifying misconceptions about the Panama Canal
Sir Ronald Sanders (Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the US and the OAS) By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News–... more
Weekend Cartoon
