THE Guyana National Broadcast Authority (GNBA) is gearing to issue just about 14 new broadcast licences, even as Chairperson, Parliamentarian, Bibi Shaddick, has vowed never to be bullied into revoking any of the licences previously issued, without cause.

Shaddick on Monday evening used the opportunity in her contribution to the 2013 Budget debate, to address the brewing controversy surrounding the issuance of several radio licences.
She told the House that the board of GNBA operates under the new Broadcast Laws and regulations.
Shaddick said that each of the existing broadcasters would have been made to become compliant with the new requirements.
She reminded the House that prior to the Act, all approved broadcasting licencees had to apply for permission to continue under the new regulations.
All entities operating currently applied and were granted permission to continue broadcasting according, to Shaddick, who said that, “without exception, every entity was asked to apply to be licensed under the New Broadcast Act.”
Turning her attention to calls being made and reports surrounding the revocation of several of the licences that had been issued, the Chairperson said that the “board has never discussed revocation of any licence.”
She said further that the board is neither authorised to revoke any of the licences except by cause.
Shaddick said that the board will continue to function under its mandate regardless of the rumours or heads of media agencies that picket their own media houses in an attempt to bully the process.

“I have never succumbed to bullyism, I don’t expect to succumb to bullyism, and I will not head a board which will buckle to those things.”
The parliamentarian told the House the frequencies that had been allocated by former president Bharrat Jagdeo effectively broke the monopoly that had existed over several decades.
She said too that at present, the Broadcasting Authority is processing roughly 36 applications, 14 of which are set to be approved and licences issued.
Shaddick, using the opportunity of the budget debates to address the matter, told the House that there had been many accusations about the former President Jagdeo giving away a limited commodity “to his family, friends and PPP cronies.”
She said that the aspersions were being cast not only in hostile sections of the media, but also by members of parliament during their various budgetary presentations.
Shaddick said that prior to the current administration taking office, there  was one media house operating two television licences,  and today the broadcaster is yet to comply with all of the existing regulations.
With respect to concerns as to why Region 10 has not been issued with a television licence to broadcast, Shaddick pointed out that an application has to come from a registered company or a trust..
“Our board is only authorised to grant to a company or a trust not a country or a region,” said Shaddick, who pointed out also that she has communicated this to the representatives of the administration of the region
She says that the Board has made a commitment to facilitate the Region 10 request as soon as the relevant documentation can be had and submitted
On the very many criticisms that has been levelled against the various licences issued by Jagdeo, Shaddick, in his defence, told the House that to date she has heard no legal reason, “or any legal argument which says these things are not right.”