By Alva Solomon

AT exactly 10:45hrs yesterday, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo flicked the switch to turn on Radio Lethem 95.1FM. He also made the first broadcast, his action bringing to fruition a project designed to connect the Rupununi and other hinterland communities to the Coastland.

The project is one of two that were announced earlier this year during the 2016 National Budget, with Radio Mabaruma in the North West District set to be on the airwaves before the end of June.

Radio Lethem is supported with content by the National Communications Network (NCN), and provides radio coverage to communities in Central Lethem, 20-30 miles from the radio station. The station is being voluntarily manned by 20 youths from the area, and they would be presenting home-grown programmes in the months to come.

Addressing the packed-to-capacity audience yesterday, which included Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs, Sydney Allicock; Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan; and Minister of Tourism, with responsibility for Telecommunications, Catherine Hughes; the Prime Minister spoke about the historic nature of the event. Most of all, he spoke about the pivotal role people like veteran broadcaster Dr Rovin Deodat played in the development of community radio and radio in general in Guyana.

Not only was Dr Deodat pivotal in commissioning of the country’s first FM (frequency modulation) radio station, 98.1 Hot FM, but he also played a key role in crafting of a broadcasting policy for the country back in the early 90s.

According to the Prime Minister, who was then Minister of Information under the previous administration, it was recognised at the time that broadcasting was the principal vehicle for uniting the Guyanese populace.

“Because if you cannot spread the word of unity, you cannot achieve the objective of unity,” he said, adding:
“And the only way you can spread the word is to be able to communicate with all the communities of Guyana — from the coast, to the hinterland, to border areas, to the riverine areas, to the hills…”

He mentioned, in passing, Radio Paiwomak, another radio station which broadcasts in the Rupununi from the Bina Hill Institute at Kwatamang.

“We must allow our Indigenous people to communicate. There are nine tribes, and they need to communicate with themselves initially in their own languages, and that was the rationale for Radio Paiwomak,” he said.

The Prime Minister revealed that there are plans for establishment of a radio station at the University of Guyana Turkeyen Campus. Recalling that not only was the Government of the day able to access funding for a transmitter, but a studio was even set-up at the Turkeyen Campus, he said the project unfortunately simply died.

As he recalled: “It was never born; maybe still-born…. The studio was built, and after I left office, no one followed up.”

But all is not lost, he said. “As the country prepares to become a gas and oil state, we’ve come to realise that we would have to produce a new set of intelligence of a new generation.” He added that environmental engineers and safety and mechanical technicians are among the skilled personnel who would have knowledge to share with the country, using radio as the preferred means of communication.

“So we need the university to communicate with the rest of Guyana what it is doing there,” he said.

During the course of the commissioning, Dr Deodat was recognized for holding the first training course for persons of Amerindian descent through a loan from UNESCO. That course led to the “discovery” of broadcaster Michella Abraham-Ali.

Dr Deodat told the audience that the ceremony yesterday was a testament to the durability of those who worked on the lead-up to Radio Lethem’s launch, including technical staff of NCN.

He said that, months ago, he and the Prime Minister discussed the programmes and ideas for radio, those being 50% from the regions and other content from NCN. He said that, for the moment, NCN will be relaying to Radio Lethem; but as time progresses, local programmes will be added to the airwaves.

In studio during an on-air discussion after the commissioning ceremony, Minister Allicock noted that communication has been lacking in the country. “We promised that we will bring the country together,” he added.

Minister Hughes noted that communities should be able to fashion their own stories. Accordingly, she expressed appreciation to those persons who volunteered to work at the station, as she noted their pivotal roles in the development of the region.

Hughes also pledged to donate some 15 laptops to the team of trainees who will broadcast the programmes of Radio Lethem.