NCN to reduce expenses, increase revenues
THE NATIONAL Communications Network Inc is in the process of reviewing its operations with the aim of increasing revenues and reducing operating expenses, according to Chief Executive Officer Mohamed Sattaur. The Guyana Chronicle caught up with the NCN CEO while he was on the picket line on Thursday, among residents and groups representing several communities across the country, who protested at Parliament against the budget cuts by the joint opposition. Those cuts have also affected the NCN.
Since the announcement of the proposed cuts and the subsequent voting of $1 to several agencies, including the National Communications Network Inc, Mr. Sattaur has said that his management team has been meeting regularly among themselves and with workers to discuss the way forward. He, however, assured that at the moment the company would be operating as currently obtained, with the full complement of staff; but where there are resignations, those vacancies will not be filled in the short term.
Sattaur added that in addition to putting a freeze on hiring, the National Communications Network is also putting several other aspects of the company under the microscope. He pointed to the renegotiation of its subscriptions to overseas organizations which bring the rights of the Olympics, cricket and other sports in explaining that in most cases the subscription will have to be reduced in order to save money. He also said that NCN will now be placing more focus on covering only the Regional aspects of the Olympic Games; and that NCN at present is not providing the service of multi-camera shooting or production, unless the costs are covered. He pointed out that in the last few weeks, NCN has restricted itself to one-camera productions.
Sattaur also pointed out that there will be a reduction of air time on NCN, in an effort to cut back on electricity. He reiterated that most of the contents NCN has on air were covered by the subvention that was taken away from the entity.
According to Sattaur, the company is sometimes forced to play segments of various sports, although those were not covered by sponsorship. He lamented that despite the absence of sponsorship for those spots, the entity nevertheless showed them in the interest of the viewing public.
Recently the joint opposition, The Alliance For Change (AFC) and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) voted against the allocation of some 21 billion dollars to several agencies, leaving some of them, including NCN and GINA, with $1.
The move by the opposition has received widespread criticism, with hundreds of public servants taking to the streets to protest the move. The workers’ actions also received the support of the government, with almost all the government ministers joining the protesters in calling for a reversal of the decision by the opposition.