Civil society joins private media to protest radio/cable licence giveaway
With intensified vibrancy, staffers of the National Media and Publishing Company backed by concerned supporters and members of civil society yesterday continued protest action to amplify disgust about the recent unbiased granting of radio licences by former President Bharrat Jagdeo.
So intense was the protest action that some
protesters including Publisher of Kaieteur News, Glenn Lall, Columnist Frederick Kissoon and Leader of the Alliance For Change, Khemraj Ramjattan, were hoisted above the crowd that had assembled outside the Kaieteur News’ offices.
Armed with placards, the protestors traversed the thoroughfare outside of the 24 Saffon Street, Georgetown, offices of the daily publication.
Khemraj Ramjattan, like the rest of the protestors, exhibited placards and voiced their concerns which were all on a similar note. The activity again attracted the attention of the Guyana Police Force whose officers were forced to closely monitor and ensure that the flow of traffic was not obstructed.
And as was the case the previous day, Lall did not fail to express his frustration in an invited comment. “We have continued this action because we are being insulted further when Dr. (Roger) Luncheon is trying to defend this injustice that Jagdeo perpetrated, when he gave Radio, TV and cable licences to his friends’ family and party comrades.”
According to Lall, “The very goodly doctor says in his defence that you had to have Media experience before you get a Licence.”
Lall questioned the media experience of Omkar Lochan and Dr. Ranjisinghi ‘Booby’ Ramroop both of whom have received five radio frequencies each.
“Isn’t that a joke? Then in another breath he said that geographical consideration would have been a determining factor…When I heard those words I had to laugh and ask myself what this man is talking about,” said a very vocal Lall yesterday who sought to question the media experience of Lochan, of the Ministry of Natural Resources, and Dr. Ramroop, of Guyana Times and Television Guyana, Channel 28, that saw them being awarded five channels each.”
According to Lall, it was Dr. Luncheon’s disclosure that Jagdeo used his discretion in granting the licences. While he agrees that discretion was used it was only in the former President’s efforts to “give to only his family, best friends and his party members…A few outsiders got one frequency each just making it look as if it was a fair process.”
But according to Lall, until President Donald Ramotar corrects the injustice that the former President perpetrated on this land “we will never stop this fight.”
In an invited comment too, yesterday, AFC Leader, Ramjattan noted that the recent publicized development would only serve to irk the population thereby provoking them to intensify protesting action.
He alluded to the fact that the actions of the former president were executed against the background that he (the president) cannot be prosecuted.
