ON February 13, 2019, Guyana observed World Radio Day. As Guyana joined the international community to celebrate one of humanity’s great accomplishments – the introduction and subsequent widespread accessibility of information via radio, our country has reason to be proud, particularly since the APNU+AFC coalition was elected to office and the availability of radio service became a reality for many Guyanese who, for too long had been neglected; their very existence virtually forgotten.

Few would have predicted that the discovery of the possibility of wireless transmission of information would have resulted in a technological leap that would catapult civilisation into the information age, as no other single development has done. The series of discoveries and developments that began in the 1880s and culminated in the first broadcast on Christmas Eve 1906, came to be known as Radio.

British Guiana’s use of the new wireless technology began in the 1920s. In 1938, owing to the local demand for cricket commentary, The British Guiana United Broadcasting Company was established by the merger of two smaller stations, which had been operating since 1935. That short wave station began broadcasting in the medium wave range in 1947.

The station became Radio Demerara in 1947, which moved to the famous High Street location in 1955. In 1958, the British Guiana Broadcasting Service (BGBS) started transmitting from that location as well. While Radio Demerara focussed primarily on rebroadcasting BBC programmes, BGBS covered local events, news, and the ever-popular sports and games.

After independence, between October 1968 and July 1980, the two stations, in a step-by-step series of acquisitions and reorganisations, finally became the Guyana Broadcasting Corporation, Channels 1 and 2, eventually being renamed Radio Roraima and the Voice of Guyana.

While, in those days, local radio broadcasts were available only to the coastal residents, Guyanese in hinterland communities were left out. Development which expectedly accompanies the ready availability of information was sadly lacking in Guyana’s interior communities. This historical reality may be one of the primary contributors to the unfortunate reality of the developmental gap between Guyana’s coastal and hinterland peoples. Disappointingly, the progress which may have been made by the widespread dissemination of information came to a virtual standstill in the following decade as other local and international matters engaged the attention of authorities.

Guyana’s history of radio took a turn for the worse when, under the People Progressive Party’s (PPP) dictatorial reign, Radio was made into a political weapon. Radio licences were given away to friends of the PPP regime, including Bharrat Jagdeo’s personal relatives, even as established media houses and independent entrepreneurs were denied access to the airwaves. Incredibly, the PPP government even gave itself a licence. The PPP’s Freedom Radio was licensed to broadcast from Freedom House on five (5) frequencies. In October 2016, when he was asked for an explanation, Bharrat Jagdeo was arrogantly unapologetic. He said The PPP party’s radio station . . . “would be openly sympathetic to us . . . and would tend to carry our views more . . .” Jagdeo contemptuously added, “Of course the PPP got a licence . . . I am a politician, so they can accuse me of that one.”

Fortunately, all of that changed on May 16, 2015, when Brigadier David Granger became president. His Excellency said that “Government knows the importance of radio, and wants to make sure that national radio gets to all communities.” The president also revealed that the APNU+AFC government plans to activate more radio transmitters and stations so that all citizens [throughout Guyana] may have equal access to the media.

Under the governance of the coalition administration, in May 2016, Radio Lethem went on the air in Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo followed by Radio Mabaruma in June in Barima-Waini. Radio Aishalton in Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo began broadcasting in February 2017, and Radio Mahdia in Potaro-Siparuni, and Radio Bartica in Cuyuni-Mazaruni started operating in October and November respectively. In April 2018, Radio Orealla switched on, and Radio Essequibo, the seventh hinterland station, is due to go on the air shortly; the transmitter is already installed at the station-building in Cotton-Field. Prior to those recent developments, the more than 113,000 Guyanese residing in Guyana’s interior had neither ready access to news and information, nor any easy way to market their products or share information within and among their communities; many hinterland residents said that they felt as though they were not even a part of Guyana. Happily, that saddening state of affairs is now being corrected.

At the launch of Radio Aishalton, the President said, “You have a right to receive information.” The President noted, too, that radio is an essential outlet for culture, language, education, and entertainment. His Excellency pointed out that, “Radio has played a key role in Guyana’s developmental history.” Evidently, the President is committed to the continuation of that development, and he is determined that Guyana will not be left behind as progress, through the availability of information, is obviously a major part of his government’s policy agenda.