Work of GNBA Board remains at standstill

Aug 15, 2016 News

– PM says Chairman doing ‘fantastic job’

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo says that he is unaware of any discord within the Board of the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA).
Nagamootoo said that he is quite contented with the efforts being made by the Board.
He also said that he is satisfied with the performance of the Chairman of the Board, Leonard Craig.
“I have very great confidence in him. He is competent and is doing a fantastic job.”
This is the view of the Prime Minister despite the fact that nothing in the broadcasting industry has changed since the new Board has been appointed. The illegal radio licences granted by President Bharrat Jagdeo continue to stand; new applicants remain on hold, fees remain high; zoning still does not exist and there are still no regulations for programming, among other shortcomings.
Asked if he was pleased with the work done by the Board thus far, Nagamootoo said, “What I can say is that the work of the GNBA has been stymied from the fact that it didn’t have regulations by which it could sign new licences or at the same time ask old licensees to reapply and to conform with the requirements of regulations.”
He went on to explain that there is a Broadcast Act and that Act did not come with regulations. Therefore there are no set standards for Broadcasters to comply with.
“So I had a look at the draft regulations submitted to me and then it was forwarded to the AG Chambers. It then had to go to the chief parliamentary counsel’s office…It appears that the regulations are back from the AG’s office. We will look at the work of the parliamentary counsel and then after that process we will submit the draft regulations of the board to the cabinet.”
Kaieteur News spoke to several members of the Board. One thing in common was that there is discord on the Board.
So deep-rooted is the discord between two key members of the Board that its performance is being affected and critical work is stalled.

Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo

GNBA Chairman, Leonard Craig

It was in April that the GNBA held its first press conference. That was eight months after the Board was appointed.
At that press conference, the Board laid out the plans for the broadcasting industry in Guyana. These plans are to be of major benefit to broadcasters and consumers alike.
The Board even said that it would have updated the media within three weeks after the press conference about its decision on how to tackle the existence of illegal radio broadcasters. This would have been with regard to those who were granted licences by former President Bharrat Jagdeo days before he left Office.
There has been no other press conference since April and none of the plans outlined have materialized. The only communication that the Board had with the media was about promises that those plans “would soon come on stream.”
Early in June, GNBA Chairman, Leonard Craig, said that the Board was reviewing the draft regulations it recently received from the Attorney General’s Chamber.
Those regulations, he said, will force all existing holders of Broadcast licences to reapply. This is to be done so that the licences can become compatible with the new regulations.
Craig said that when the review is completed, the regulations will be sent to Cabinet for “general approval.” It will then be gazetted and laid before the National Assembly.
The Chairman said, “I do not think that the remainder of the process will exceed two to three weeks.”
Two months later, the regulations are still before the Legal Matters and Fees committee—a sub-committee of the Board. The Members of that subcommittee are Anthony Vieira, Vic Insanally and Abiola Wong-Inniss.
Craig noted that there was a “holdup.” However, the Chairman failed to state what the “holdup” was.
Further queries revealed this “holdup” is nothing that may be resolved soon.
The Board had two recent meetings, including one to address the shortlisted candidates to be the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Authority.
Vieira did not attend that meeting.
“We haven’t seen him since; I am not sure what to make of that,” said one member.
A few months ago, Vieira had made statements about the radio licences. Craig later told the public that Vieira was out of order with his remarks and that his statements were not an accurate representation of the discussions of the Board.
Some members are of the opinion that Craig is trying his best, while others feel that he is in way over his head and they support Vieira.

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