By Kurt Campbell
[www.inewsguyana.com] – The Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA) has retained three lawyers as the body moves to implement the Act and regulation therein.
This comes as several television and radio stations continue to broadcast even after missing their deadline (November 3) of being fully compliant.
Head of the GNBA Bibi Shadick released a list of over 18 radio, television and cable providers who have been granted letters of approval but is yet to become fully compliant.
Among those are: NCN, NTN, Linden Wireless Communication Network, HGPTV, WHRM, Star TV and Movie Star Inc. Shadick said the body may have to employ more lawyers taking into consideration the long list of non-compliant broadcasters.
To date the body granted TV licenses to GWTV 2, Pinnacle Commutations, MTV Channel 14/65, CNS 6, DTV 8, Blackman and Sons and Little Rock; radio licenses to Radio Guyana, Telecor, NTN, Hits and Jams Entertainment and Little Rock along with five licenses to cable companies.
On a separate note, Shadick said the GNBA has constituted and made operational the Monitoring Committee of the GNBA which comprises of a chairperson and four members.
Those are: The Chairman Retired Major General Norman McLean, along with Former Director of the Centre for Communication Studies – UG Dr. Paloma Mohamed, Head of the Learning Channel Dr. Seeta Shah Roath and Attorney-at-Law Sase Gunraj.
According to Shadick, the committee will be responsible for formulating regulations which will then be sent to the Minister of Information, President Donald Ramotar to be placed in the gazette.
She said the staff of the Advisory Committee on Broadcasting (ACB) which has been disbanded is now working on the Monitoring Committee, executing physical monitoring and is being paid by the GNBA.
