Georgetown : The National Assembly last evening passed Broadcasting Bill which gain support by the Alliance for Change (AFC). The People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) on the other hand, walked out of the session, claiming that they sought Government’s approval to have the matter to be either sent to a select committee or be deferred but no response was forthcoming.
People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) MP, Gail Teixeira responded that there have been no official or private requests by the PNCR as stated by the party’s leader, Robert Corbin.
Prime Minister Samuel Hinds in presenting the Bill said that it would set the regime, the rules and procedures by which persons participate in an open, competitive but decent broadcasting sector; one with steadily higher standards and contributes towards the aspiration of Guyana’s motto of becoming one people out of many.
“I have no hesitation in acknowledging and in commending Mr. Tony Vieira, then Mr. Rex McKay, who took for himself not one but two channels, for launching television in Guyana… I want to acknowledge too the launching soon after of Mr. Sharma’s television station, who was pushed to launch his CNS 6 because the already existing stations would not accept the programmes he wanted to provide to the audiences,” the Prime Minister explained.
AFC, MP Khemraj Ramjattan in expressing his party’s support of the Bill said that it is about 95 percent identical to the Broadcast Bill that was tabled by him in 2009 and said it is another attempt by Government to retain control.
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