According to the bill’s Explanatory Memorandum, it “seeks to make provision for the establishment of a Broadcasting Authority which will be an independent professional statutory entity with the purpose of licensing broadcasting agencies, namely radio stations and television stations.”
Further the bill seeks “to regulate the conditions for the grant, variation, transfer and cancellation of such licences with provision also being made for penalties for breaches of conditions by licencees, and for consequential and related matters connected therewith.”
Yesterday, when the time came for the scheduled first reading of the piece of legislation, Ramjattan said he had received a letter from Prime Minister Samuel Hinds which indicated that the government would not support the bill. Stating that he had been influenced by this correspondence, the AFC Chairman then asked for the bill to be deferred.
The issue of relevant broadcast legislation being passed in the National Assembly has been raised several times in the past. Following a landmark ruling by the Court of Appeal, which found that the administration has an unlawful radio monopoly, the administration recommitted to introducing broadcasting legislation in Parliament.
The government had stated that this piece of legislation was a priority and that it would be tabled in the National Assembly during the current session.
Meanwhile at yesterday’s sitting, the National Assembly unanimously passed two motions which placed on record the sympathy and grief of the MPs at the deaths of minister within the Education Ministry Dr Desrey Fox and former PNCR MP Nazir Ally.
