-to avoid political mileage rhetoric
THE RECENT passage of the broadcast legislation has now given President Bharrat Jagdeo the liberty to fulfil his obligation to fast-track the appraisal of applications and issuance of broadcast licence. The issuance of the franchise will however be embargoed until the election period is over and, according to the Head of State, such a decision is necessary to avoid any rhetoric about attempts by the government to gain political mileage during an election year.
“One thing I will not do: I will not allow them (impending broadcasters) to operate before the elections, because if we do, you are going to hear, ‘It’s the PPP trying to get some advantage for the elections,’” President Jagdeo said at a press conference Friday.
At present, there are before the President 55 applications for radio broadcast licence, the approval of which the government is obligated to pursue in accordance with a ruling that followed a previous litigation.
Former television station owner, Anthony Vieira had taken the government to court on radio licences, following which the latter had issued a public notice saying that the broadcast licence application process had been closed.
After numerous assurances from the government, the National Assembly, on July 28, passed the long-awaited Broadcasting Bill, winning the full endorsement of the Alliance for Change (AFC) and the snub of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) which demonstrated its opposition with the usual walkout on the grounds that they had sought the government’s approval to have the matter either sent to a select committee or be deferred, but had received no response.
As President Jagdeo observed at the press conference: “I was at least pleased to see that the AFC stayed on, and they supported the Bill. You will never have, on any Bill, unanimous views. But this allows us to regulate the media in a fairer, more transparent way.”
The Bill makes provision for the setting up of the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA) that will oversee all aspects of broadcasting, by wireless or by wire, cable, satellite or other means. It will control, within limits imposed on it, all aspects of radio and television broadcast, and also provides for the acquisition of licences by CARICOM nationals, whose countries of origin have reciprocal provisions in their broadcast legislation, a provision that presidential advisor, Ms Gail Teixeira says is in keeping with other treaties in CARICOM, where the language is used to deal with reciprocity. 
With regard to licensing, applications have to be submitted to the Authority, which will in turn submit it to the National Frequency Management Unit (NMFU). The Authority may, after considering the particulars furnished and the views of the NFMU, grant or refuse the issue of the licence. 
Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, in presenting the Bill in the House, said  it would set the regime, rules and procedures by which persons participate in an open, competitive but decent broadcasting sector, one with steadily higher standards, and contribute towards the aspiration of Guyana’s motto of becoming one people out of many.
He said that for years, the PPP/C government kept the door open for new television stations to attain some sort of balance in the evident political sentiments of TV stations, but that  door was kept closed on new radio stations, so as not to create imbalance. (GINA)