GNBA, Telecoms Agency sign MoU -broadcasters will now pay fees to one place

Aug 28, 2019 News

Broadcasters will soon be experiencing a more efficient service. This follows the signing of a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) between the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA) and the Guyana Telecommunications Agency (GTA).

Chairman of GNBA’s Board, Leslie Sobers [left] and GNBA board member and Director of the Guyana Telecommunications Agency, Andre Griffith, signing the Memorandum of Understanding.

The MoU was signed during GNBA’s fourth stakeholder engagement forum attended by licensed broadcasters from around Guyana. The agreement will see spectrum fees being paid directly to the GNBA, effective from January 2020.
Chairman of the GNBA’s Board, Leslie Sobers explained: “Some time ago, you the broadcasters had indicated to the GNBA that having to pay spectrum fees to the then NFMU [National Frequency Management Unit] as a separate entity and pay broadcast fees to GNBA as another entity was somewhat burdensome. We promised to examine that dichotomous situation to simplify the payment of fees. I am pleased to announce that both spectrum fees and broadcast licenses fee will be payable to the GNBA and the issuance of a broadcast license will be proof of payment of spectrum fees as well.”
GNBA board member and Director of the Guyana Telecommunications Agency, Andre Griffith, said the MoU is part of a reform process intending to make the job for broadcasters simpler.
“We want to make things simpler, faster and better for you the stakeholders out there. We realised very early in the process that the inter-agency process between the telecommunications agency and the broadcast authority is one that could potentially be very highly impactful,” Griffith stated.
The stakeholder engagements are held to create a better environment for broadcasters. Two more engagements are slated to be held before the end of 2019. (DPI)