Radio Broadcasters receive licenses

Having been in compliance for the year 2016, five radio broadcasters on Friday (November 03, 2017) received their radio licenses from the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA).

According to the Chairman of the GNBA, Leslie Sobers, Freedom radio which is operated by the Opposition People’s Progressive Party has not received their license given some issues which need to be fixed.

Those who received their licenses are IRadio operated by Ansa Mcal, Radio Guyana Inc. operated by TVG, the National Communications Network, National Television Network and Wireless Connections.

Licensing for 2017 will be done in compliance with the new amendments of the Broadcasting Act which came into law on September 7, 2017.

Sobers explained that the new provisions in the amended act, “will determine how we do the licensing for 2017… So are we going to prorate from January to September under the old act and then from September to December under the new act, or are we just going to use one fee for 2017 and we start fresh from 2018. Those are the two considerations before the board which we will decide upon at our next board meeting.”

Sobers assured that no action by the GNBA Board will violate any constitutional right, nor curtail anyone’s freedom of expression, nor their freedom to receive or to disseminate information. He noted that in fact, some of those persons who had concerns were among those in receipt of their licenses on Friday.

The new Act, which amends the 2011 Act, contains provisions that seek to regulate the zoning of broadcasters.