MINISTER of State, Joseph Harmon, has said there is no truth to the claim that Government is deliberately denying opposition member Bibi Shadick a seat on the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBS) board.

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo had said that Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, who has responsibility for public information, has been delaying Shadick’s appointment.

According to Jagdeo, the prime minister is unable to go forward with Shadick’s appointment, because he must first get permission from Harmon.

Harmon in clarifying the matter at his post-Cabinet briefing on Thursday, said the inability of the Opposition Leader to submit Shadick’s name on time led to the delay of her appointment to the board.

“… after [other] members were sworn in, the Leader of the Opposition then submitted the name of Bibi Shadick as a member of authority,” Harmon said.

He said there is a process that all persons on national boards must go through, and in the case of the GNBA, every board member is recommended by the responsible minister and their names must then go to Cabinet for approval.

When that is done, the names are gazetted and based on that publication, an instrument is created, signed and issued by the prime minister to the board member.

“That is the process through which all other members went, “Harmon said, adding that for the opposition to nominate Shadick on one day and expect her to be seated on the board the next day is not how things work.

The minister maintained that the procedure for appointment of board members must be followed, as Government continues to embrace transparency and accountability.

The new GNBA board has already commenced work. One of the issues under scrutiny is the alleged improper issuance of communications licences to close associates of the former Government.

While in opposition, the current Government had complained bitterly about the give-away of the nation’s communication resource and promised to investigate and revoke licences that were illegally issued.