…NCN left like dog without a bone – Mahadeo
CHIEF Executive Officer of the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company, Yog Mahadeo, has accused the National Communications Network Inc (NCN), of using its monopoly to engage in price-gouging towards the very people who take their business to the entity. Mahadeo made the comments hours after negotiations between the two entities on the price for broadcasting the recently concluded GTT 10/10 finals live on NCN television failed. The GT&T CEO told the Guyana Chronicle that late last week GT&T was informed, through its marketing agent, Guyenterprise, that NCN had decided to charge the phone company $2M for  coverage of the games, a price that far exceeds the amount paid to NCN by the phone company for the same service.
Mahadeo explained that initially there was an agreement between the two sides for the television station to carry the games live on both radio and television. However, due to the breakdown in talks, the games were  carried live only on the Voice of Guyana.  He added that even up to the time that the first ball was bowled at the National Stadium on Saturday, GT&T still had its fingers crossed, hoping that NCN would have a rethink of its decision on the clearly hefty and unreasonable price.
According to Mahadeo, GTT has done a lot of business with NCN in the past, by placing thousands of ads and sponsoring several programmes aired on the network.  He added that the move by NCN has hurt the workers of the company and Guyanese who feel betrayed by NCN’s position. Mahadeo noted that NCN was even listed as a sponsor of the GTT 10/10 games, and is well aware of the investment made by the telephone company to make the game a success.
In pointing out that GT&T has over the years been ensuring that it shares its ads among all the media houses in this country, the move by NCN will likely see a change in the business relationship between the two entities. Mahadeo added that while his company will like to see their relationship continue,  it’s at the same time prepared to channel its money elsewhere.
Mahadeo also made reference to recent statements by the CEO of NCN, Mohamed Sattaur, that his company is subsiding several programmes on its network, including the GTT’s Feel The Beat. Mahadeo told the Guyana Chronicle that no company in this country, including NCN, can boast about subsidising anything that GT&T does. He pointed out that his company is resourceful enough and it stands on its own. However, Mahadeo explained that NCN might consider its discounts to marketing agencies for the volume of ads they bring to the company. He added that with GuyEnterprise being the entity that handles the ads placements for his company, NCN may be considering that a form of subsidy to the phone company.
Mahadeo said that his company was totally upset that there was no national coverage of the 10/10 event. He explained that one of the main reasons GT&T invests in bring the games live on television is for the thousands of Guyanese who are unable to leave their homes and travel to the National Stadium, including seniors and children living in the out- lying regions.
He said that the negotiations with NCN also included radio coverage; and after the jacking up of the price by NCN, the phone company was forced to settle for only the radio coverage, which was more economical and feasible. He said that the move by the National Communications Network has left them like the dog without a bone, as they were forced to run overseas programming during the time the games would have been on the air, and for which NCN would have earned for itself much needed revenue.
The decision of the National Communications Network did not hurt the GT&T 10/10 games, as the attendance at the event was overwhelming Mahadeo added. He said that GT&T will continue to fulfil its corporate responsibility to the Guyanese people, since it remains true and genuine to everything that it does for  Guyanese, especially on the entertainment and performing arts fronts.
Meanwhile, Chief Executive officer of the National Communications Network Inc., Mohamed Sattaur, in an invited comment on Saturday, would not say much on the issue. He however stated that the two companies were having negotiations for some time on the issue, and up to late Friday, there was still a deadlock. He added that the phone company was not in a position to pay the requested fee for both the radio and television broadcasts, and as such there was only a settlement on the live radio coverage.
During an interview with the Guyana Chronicle on Thursday last, Sattaur had  explained that in the wake of the budgetary cuts, his company was now embarking on a drive to reduce expenses and increase revenues. In that same interview, Sattaur told this publication that at the moment, his company was not engaging in multi-camera productions, and was looking to renegotiate the subscription with several agencies and organisations that bring the Olympics, cricket and other sports.
Contacted on Sunday, Culture, Youth and Sports Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony, said that he was not approached by either of the two companies on the matter. The minister added that he heard about the problem, and he expected GT&T and NCN to resolve whatever the issues were. The Sports Minster told this publication that since the start of the 10/10 games a few years ago, NCN has been broadcasting them on TV and radio, it was against this backdrop that he would have expected a problem between the two to be sorted out at their level.