GNBA inquiry begins, ‘acrimonious’ relationship to be investigated

Oct 08, 2016 News

GNBA Board Chairman, Leonard Craig

Major General Retd, Joseph Singh, has begun his work investigating the allegations made by Broadcaster, Kenwin Charles against members of the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA).
Kaieteur News understands he began working on Thursday, the very day after he received the Terms of Reference.
Initially, the media was told that Maj General Singh would be investigating Charles’s allegations of corruption and misconduct. However, a copy of the Terms of Reference handed over to the inquiry states that the Maj General is expected to do much more than just investigate Charles’s allegations.
In addition to looking at the veracity Charles’s allegation, Maj General Singh is expected to measure “whether remarks allegedly made by the Chairman of the GNBA (Leonard Craig) had the effect of impugning the character of any other member of the Board.”
The retired army official is also to check out “whether the conduct of the members of the Board of GNBA was in keeping with their mandate as Directors of GNBA and whether such conduct has brought the GNBA into disrepute.”
Further, the retired Major General has to determine whether there has been an “acrimonious relationship” between the Chairman and members of the GNBA “and to recommend what actions, if any, should be taken to correct it.”
After he would have accomplished the task of determining all that is wrong on the Board, Maj Gen Singh is expected to make two key recommendations to Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo.
He will have to identify measures to increase transparency, improve efficiency and effectiveness of the operations of the GNBA.
Also, the former army official is expected to identify measures to promote greater transparency in the work of the GNBA and accountability for the exercise of their powers.
There have been reports that the discord on the GNBA Board has stalled critical work. Kaieteur News understands that on several occasions, Board member Anthony Vieira refused to work with Craig. The two have not been able to see eye to eye for over a year now, but no serious measure has been taken.
Craig has said that he is prepared to lend his fullest support to the investigation, efforts to contact Vieira proved futile.
The report on the inquiry is to be submitted to Nagamootoo by October 31.
On presenting the Terms of Reference of the Inquiry, Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, said that President David Granger had requested that the inquiry be conducted.
“(The President) is very confident that you’ll be able to discharge your responsibilities.”
Harmon also assured him of his full support throughout the course of the investigations.
Maj Gen. Singh told the media that he will work along closely with the Legal Advisor from the Ministry of the Presidency, Geeta Chandan-Edmond, to ensure emphasis is placed on the gathering of detailed information so that a report can be completed and handed over to President Granger and Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo in a timely manner.
“[We are going] to work closely with the Legal Adviser… to map out a time table and a sequence of events, identify those persons who are pertinent, in terms of receiving information from them; whether written or oral… and during that process asking the relevant questions to ensure that we can come up with the determination based on what the report is designed to do,” Major General Singh said.
Charles, a broadcaster in Essequibo, is claiming that two members of the GNBA Board tried to force him to sell his operation to a prominent businessman.
The broadcaster said that a “deal” that was offered to him, stipulated that he sell his present operation, including equipment, to the prominent businessman and he would be given licence to operate in another region.
It was alleged that GNBA members were firm that unless he complied with the “deal” that was offered, he would not be given licence to operate in any part of Guyana.
The broadcaster said that the deal was conveyed to him during the course of two meetings, one of which was held at the GNBA, the other at the business office of one of the members who attempted to coerce him into selling.

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