No show in radio licence case – both applicant and lawyers absent

The hearing into the court case brought by Enrico Woolford against the National Frequency Management Unit (NFMU) over its issuance of radio licences, which was scheduled for today, saw Woolford and his battery of lawyers, Rex McKay, Keith Massiah, Abiola Wong, Fitz Peters, Bettina Glasford and Christopher Ram being absent.

Only the Attorney General (AG) Anil Nandlall who is representing the NFMU and that unit’s Head Valmikki Singh appeared. Leave was granted to the AG to file an affidavit within 21 days.

The AG also made an application to the court that all the parties who are affected by the proceedings be served with copies of the proceedings since they can be affected by its outcome, and therefore ought to be afforded the right to be heard.

The release of 11 radio licences to privately owned entities and organisations by former President Bharrat Jagdeo in late 2011 brought an end to a long held state monopoly on the radio airwaves, but was met with condescending reactions from those whose applications were shelved and opposition politicians looking for an opportunity to nitpick.

The Government’s argument that the issuance of the licences was primarily to end the long held monopoly was not enough to convince them, and full page newspaper advertisements, picketing exercises outside of the Office of the President and the recent move to the court to reverse the decision, characterised their protest that called for the revocation of the licences.

The newly licenced radio operators are Matthews Ridge Community Council; Little Rock Television Station; Alfro Alphonso and Sons Enterprise; New Guyana Company Limited; National Television Network (NTN); Hits and Jams Entertainment; Wireless Connections; Rudy Grant; Telcor and Cultural Broadcasting Inc.; Linden Wireless Communication Network; and Television Guyana (TVG) Channel 28 were the organisations granted licences.