| The setting up of China Central TV (CCTV) was a direct government-to-government agreement between Guyana and China.This is according to Michael Gordon, the acting Chief Executive Officer of the state TV, National Communications Network (NCN). The agreement was signed here, between NCN and the Chinese embassy,Le Veon Bell Steelers Jersey UK, on December 30, 2011.Gordon said that NCN did not negotiate any of the arrangements for the setting up of the television station. He explained that all costs for the setting up of the station were borne by the Chinese government. He said the Chinese government constructed a building and installed its transmitter in the compound of NCN.Gordon said that the operation of CCTV does not need to be staffed; but that NCN workers would only be utilised if absolutely needed. For example, he said that “if the floor needs cleaning, NCN staff would be used to clean it”.Gordon said that he could not comment on the licencing arrangements for CCTV, since that was a government arrangement.He revealed that the CCTV Guyana station (Channel 27/Cable78) would be commissioned in a matter of days.Veteran broadcaster Enrico Woolford has been pressing for the National Frequency Management Unit (NFMU) to reveal who has been allocated what frequencies in Guyana, but to no avail.“The government of Guyana gave China a 24-hour channel on Guyana’s ‘limited electro-magnetic spectrum’ ahead of its own and CARICOM Citizens under the CARICOM Single Market and Economy mechanism,” Woolford recently stated.Former CEO of NCN Mohamed Sattaur had stated that the government was the one responsible for granting the licence. This is despite the government’s arguments that it cannot grant a licence to the town of Linden,Antonio Brown Steelers Jersey UK, but that it has to apply to the NFMU.Executive Member of the opposition coalition APNU, Lance Carberry, this week said that the government needs to clarify the arrangements under which CCTV is licenced to broadcast from Guyana.Cathy Hughes,Mike Wagner Steelers Jersey UK, Parliamentarian of the Alliance for Change,Patrick Chung Patriots Jersey UK, said she plans to ask the government for clarification on the issues today.Woolford has argued that aside from frequency allocation, the fact that Guyana has Chinese content TV on a frequency paid for and essentially operated by a foreign Government through a State to State mechanism,Brett Favre Packers Jersey UK, ought to raise eyebrows in any normal sovereign democratic nation.Yesterday, Head of the Presidential Secretariat Dr Roger Luncheon said that issuance of the television licence to China was an agreement in the making prior to former President Jagdeo placing an embargo on the issuing of television licences in 2001.Luncheon stated that the agreement between Government and China anti-dates Jagdeo’s 2001 to 2006 term in Office.According to Luncheon, the agreement took over 10 years to be implemented and Government is pleased with its conclusion and turning of the switch to put CCTV on air this year. He added that the Office of the President is responsible for telecommunication and is pleased that the agreement has been finalised. However, he is unaware of the reasons for the delay.Enrico WoolfordLuncheon stated that as part of the agreement,Tevin Coleman Falcons Jersey UK, China has to provide the resources to facilitate the broadcast of their national television, CCTV, on Guyana’s airwaves. He noted that a channel was identified to be used for the transmission of signal from their CCTV. Moreover, the state-owned NCN and the Government Information Agency (GINA) assumed the role of management of the channel.He pointed out that nothing called for the physical presence of personnel. That responsibility will be undertaken by NCN and GINA.According to Luncheon,Mohamed Sanu Sr Falcons Jersey UK, in 2001, Jagdeo and former Opposition Leader Desmond Hoyte established a Task Force to ascertain how media houses operate and the entire question of granting licences for media houses. He related that the embargo was instituted following recommendations from the Task Force.According to Woolford, who was part of the Task Force, he is concerned that the State has given a foreign state, in fact an emerging superpower, access to a frequency without a fair, equitable and transparent public process,Kevin Greene Steelers Jersey UK, while not displaying the same alacrity to issue licences to Guyanese and CARICOM nationals.Woolford said, “Let us not confuse and conflate the issuance of licences to Guyanese and CARICOM nationals, as being the same to foreign countries or persons”.He pointed out that the giving of licences to a foreign country has to be done with full public knowledge,Ernie Stautner Steelers Jersey UK, complete and transparent disclosure, since part of the country’s limited resources is being utilised.Woolford noted that is important that the public should know what the existing frequencies are and what is available. He made reference to the fact that prior to the embargo, requests were made for local television, and to date nothing has been done. |
