A NEWS anchor at the National Communications Network (NCN) believes she was forced off the set following directives by management for her to hide her pregnancy, a charge the state broadcaster has denied. Natasha Smith, in a statement submitted through the Guyana Press Association, said that on August 8 she was told by a senior manager it was decided that she would be relieved of reading the news. On the following day, Smith said, she was called by another senior manager, who explained to her how outraged he was about what was said in the management meeting of August 8.

“He told me he believes that as a woman I have a right to become pregnant and bear a child without it being a hindrance to my job, since being pregnant does not affect my job in any way,” Smith wrote in her statement.

CEO of NCN, Lennox Cornette

According to her, “on Tuesday August 9, I was again called to the office of the Editor-In-Chief, who explained to me that I would be relieved of reading the news; because, quite frankly, the C.E.O (does) not like what he sees when he looks at the news.

“(This manager) told me that she was given a directive to remove me from reading the news in a management meeting on August 8, because the ‘image’ was not looking good for the news.”

Smith said she enquired if it had anything to do with her pregnancy, “but the EIC, Sharda Lall, did not respond to the question directly, but asked me to wear bigger clothes. She said the directive came from the C.E.O and she is just following instructions.”

Smith added that, prior to the meeting with the E.I.C., while on the set of the news, she was told by the cameramen that a directive was given “not to show my belly, but to take tight (or close up) shots of me while reading the news. When I enquired about the reason for this, they responded by saying that this is a directive that was given to them by the E.I.C. (N.B: this same directive was not given for any other anchor for the minor newscasts or weekend news)”

Smith said that, in the meeting with the E.I.C., she was told that the close up shots would continue. “I have been employed by the National Communications Network for more than eight years, serving six years in the News and Current Affairs Department, (and I am) now in my second year as an Announcer/Producer in the Production Department. I have anchored the news for the past eight years. This is my second pregnancy while being anchor. In 2011, I was pregnant with twins and there was never any issue with regards to my anchoring or attire, nor any directive to cameramen to shoot from my breast upwards,” the woman stated.

Smith said that at that point she felt hurt and angry, “not for myself, but for my child, (whom) I consider a blessing. Given the fact that I have to hide a part of by body makes him (the baby) seem like something unwanted or to be ashamed of. I likened the situation to one where I took a picture with my child and had to Photoshop him out of the picture. I was offended and I contacted my union representative. We then sought a meeting with the Human Resources Manager.”

Smith detailed that the HR Manager did not deny that the directive was given, but insisted that it was not with immediate effect, and that the E.I.C is misrepresenting what was said.

“Later that evening, while I was preparing to go on set to anchor the news, I was told that the C.E.O. wants to meet with me. However, I could not attend the meeting because the news was priority at that time. I was represented by my union representative, who met with the C.E.O and HR. The representative later told me that the C.E.O denied that I was being removed because of my pregnancy.”

Smith said that the following day she was again called by the E.I.C, who informed her that there was a new directive, which is “to let me continue to read the news until I am ready to proceed on maternity leave.” By this time I had already decided that I was going to stop reading the news regardless, because of all that transpired and the stress it caused me, so I stopped anchoring the news on August 12.”

Smith said she subsequently met the C.E.O and the H.R, who denied that the directive given was because of my pregnancy.

“I hope telling my side of the story brings some clarity to the issue. I do not wish to embarrass the company I have been loyal to for the past eight years, or to any of the parties involved. Information circulating on social media may or may not be true, but it is my view that only a probe into what transpired in the management meeting where the directive was given to replace me as News Anchor can bring out the truth from all sides.”

NCN denies
For its part, NCN said it is concerned about statements being made in the press and online news outlets in relation to employment issues surrounding two of its employees, Smith and Jocelle Archibald-Hawke.

“Management wishes to make it publicly known that Natasha Smith was not removed from anchoring because of her expectant condition or marital status, as is erroneously being pedalled. NCN upholds the rights of all its employees in relation to their private lives and may only be required to address aspects of personal issues if they impede the employees’ performance on the job,” NCN said.

Concerning the suspension of Mrs. Jocelle Archibald-Hawke for one month without pay, the company stated that due process was followed in arriving at its decision. “While the current issue is about disparaging comments made on social media about her colleague’s work and name calling, several other factors and incidents involving Mrs. Archibald-Hawke were considered. NCN will not descend into divulging the details about personnel matters in the public domain,” the release stated.

Chief Executive Officer Mr. Lennox Cornette said it was unfortunate that the issues surrounding the employees had been misunderstood and misrepresented. “In the case of Mrs Archibald-Hawke, he expressed surprise that ‘a simple HR matter that was investigated and dealt with after a report by the aggrieved party has now elevated itself on social media as a denial of freedom of expression.’”