GNBA prepares to challenge Jagdeo-issued radio licences
Chairman of GNBA Board, Leonard Craig (centre) flanked by board members at a press conference.
Chairman of GNBA Board, Leonard Craig (centre) flanked by board members at a press conference.

By Ravin Singh

LEGAL challenge or the possibility of legislative overhaul is impending as the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA) seeks to challenge the award of radio licences by former President Bharrat Jagdeo during the last year of his second term in office.In 2011, Jagdeo had granted 11 licences under the colonial Post and Telegraph Act just before the November 2011 General and Regional elections, a move that saw widespread criticism from the public.
Prior to this, in 2001, as a result of the dialogue between Jagdeo and then Opposition Leader, the late Desmond Hoyte, it was agreed that no new licences for either radio or television would be issued until an impartial and autonomous Broadcast Authority was established.
Subsequently, in 2003, a communique between then Opposition Leader Robert Corbin and Jagdeo ratified this arrangement that no licences would be issued until the Broadcast Authority was formed.
Between 2001 and 2011, this provision was used by the then PPP government to deny anyone a TV or radio licence. Even existing stations were denied expansion since it would have meant granting them additions to their licences.
However, in 2001, Jagdeo breached this long-standing agreement, awarding the licences to several known affiliates and supporters of the then PPP government.
Among the persons granted licences by the previous government were former PPP Minister Robert Persaud, the Little Rock Television Station (Berbice), Hits and Jams, Maxwell Thom, Alfro Alphonso, Haslyn Graham, Anand Persaud and Dr Bobby Ramroop – a known personal friend of Jagdeo. The PPP was even issued a licence by him under the Mirror media group and is currently the only political party that operates a radio station.
And with these stations still operational, the new GNBA board, at its first press conference Friday, said it is preparing to challenge this move by Jagdeo, either through arbitration or legislative reform.
Director of the Board, Abiola Wong-Inniss, who is also an Attorney -at-Law, explained that given the manner in which these licences had been issued and the persons involved, they were subject and vulnerable to challenge from that moment.
“There are options available to us, least of which is the option of litigation. There is also the option of going to the legislature and correcting the problem that exists,” she said, adding that the question now is which method would be the most appropriate.
Wong-Inniss contended that a difficult situation arises because at the time the licences were issued, there were applications already existing.
Chairman of the GNBA board, Leonard Craig, also weighed in, offering that the board has discussed the issue and decided that the licences appear to have been issued contrary to and in violation of good administrative practices.
He explained that the board was fully cognisant that the issue regarding licences issued by the former President has attracted the greatest interest relative to the board’s function to date.
“The said licences appeared to have been arbitrarily issued to persons and entities with close ties to the decision-maker and without regard to prior existing applications,” Craig said.
Further, he noted that the decision would have preempted the application of the Broadcasting Act which was already assented to, but was awaiting a date to come into operation, which was also solely in the authority of Jagdeo at the time.
“The issues relating to the said licences pose difficult questions which ought only to be determined after deliberate consideration of the legal options available which includes, but is not limited to, litigation,” he said.
As it relates to the existence of a PPP radio station, Director on the GNBA Board and former Broadcaster Anthony Vieira, who sold his TV station to Jagdeo’s friend, said the board was totally against political parties owning broadcasting licences.
This, according to the Director, sets a precedent whereby all political parties are able to apply for radio licences, and if same is not granted, claims of discrimination are likely to be made. Further, he pointed out that the board could not support such a move, given the limited space available in broadcasting.
Additionally, it was noted that if those licences were to be granted, it would only pave the way for more resources to be diverted towards monitoring over a 24-hour period.

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