During a meeting with the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Communications Network (NCN) on Wednesday, Social Protection Minister Volda Lawrence emphasised that pregnancy cannot be used to target workers.
Lawrence reminded the meeting that expectant mothers are protected from all forms of discrimination under the Prevention of Discrimination Act Chapter 99:09 and the Termination of Employment and Severance Pay (Amendment) Act 1999, a statement from the ministry said.
CEO Lennox Cornette and NCN have faced widespread criticism after journalist Natasha Smith’s alleged removal from the anchor’s chair at NCN due to her pregnancy.
Cornette has maintained that Smith was not relieved of anchoring the NCN 6 O’ Clock News because of her pregnancy.
In the meeting, Cornette reportedly said he was proposing changes to montages to be used during the newscast and the need for the technical staff to utilise additional camera angles.
The explanation was given to Lawrence, Junior Minister Keith Scott, Chief Labour Officer Charles Ogle and consultant Francis Carryl during the meeting on Wednesday.
Smith returned to anchoring the daily newscast on Wednesday, following a meeting with the Management of NCN and the Guyana Press Association (GPA).
According to the ministry statement, Cornette reported that it was during an August 8 management meeting that he was told that Smith was uncomfortable with some types of camera shots to be included in the 30-minute nightly newscast and that the anchor’s unease was unrelated to her pregnancy.
Smith had previously said that she was told that she would be relieved of reading the news because the CEO did not like what he saw when he looked at the news. She noted too that cameramen told her that a directive was given not to show her belly but to take tight or close-up shots of her while she was reading the news.
On Tuesday, there was a protest by members of the GPA and civil society outside the compound of NCN, on Homestretch Avenue.
In addition, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo on Wednesday said that he has advised Cornette to apologise to Smith.
Nagamootoo, in a statement, said, “From information received and explanations given by the CEO, I am in no doubt that the removal of Ms. Smith was due to her state of pregnancy, and that the act is an attack on her as a woman and as a professional journalist. I do not condone any such act and disassociate myself from the action in this matter by NCN.”
