Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo yesterday issued a defence for the recently passed amendments to the broadcasting legislation, while saying that they are urgently needed in the public’s interest and cannot be delayed.
In a five-page statement that was released yesterday afternoon, Nagamootoo charged that there has been both a “gross misunderstanding” and in some cases “deliberate misrepresentation” of the amendments, and he argued that in most cases they “give clarity” and “add certainty” to sections of the Broadcasting Act of 2011.
The statement came in wake of several local and international calls for President David Granger to return the Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill 2017, which was passed just over a week ago, to the National Assembly for consultations with stakeholders over some of its contentious provisions. These provisions include the requirement that all broadcasters reapply for licensing within 30 days of the amendments coming into force as well as the requirement that all stations air “public service programmes” for up to 60 minutes a day, free of cost, between 6 am and 10 pm.
