Luncheon says NCN is a private entity

As the fallout continues from the Oppositions’ slashing of over $21B from the National Budget, Government yesterday made it clear that the Opposition failed to present justifiable reasons for its decisions.
Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon, maintained that there are only a few reasons that could be advanced for the cutting of the allocations which affected the Government Information News Agency (GINA), NCN, Customs Anti Narcotic Unit (CANU), the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) and a number of projects under the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), including the One Laptop Per Family Project (OLPF) and the Amaila Falls Hydro Project.

These reasons would include whether Guyana is suffering from a recession and thus there is the need to lay off workers and close departments.
According to Dr. Luncheon at a press conference yesterday, the fact is that Guyana is not experiencing a recession at the moment.

The same opposition parties- the Alliance For Change (AFC) and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU)– are arguing for Linden’s electricity rates to remain the same and for the subsidy to remain in place yet they have reduced monies from the budget, forcing possible job losses.
It was also puzzling that the opposition wanted information on Government contract workers and despite being offered satisfactory explanations, still turned around slashed millions, the Cabinet Secretary said.

“Was it a move to fool government or to demonstrate strength to supporters?” Dr. Luncheon queried.

It is clear that the two opposition parties did not intend to have well-meaning dialogue and Guyana may have lost out, he added.
However, he warned of possible repercussions. “Even if the battle is lost…let those affected…let those who are aggrieved gird themselves for further struggles.”

Meanwhile, faced with questions over the slashing of over $200M in subsidies from NCN and GINA, which the combined opposition earlier this week voted for, Luncheon disclosed that NCN is a private company

. However, it was GINA that government is worried about. The opposition voted for a $1 subsidy, removing some $211M that had been allocated.
Both GINA and NCN have been flayed by the opposition parties for unfair coverage, especially during the recent elections.

Opposition parties have also complained about not being allowed equitable time on air at NCN even as the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic was being allowed a free-for-all.