While there are some similarities in terms of the composition of the broadcast authority of Trinidad and Tobago and that of Guyana, they differ starkly in that it is the ceremonial President of that Caribbean island nation that appoints the Board, while in Guyana’s case it is the executive president.
Officials of the Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (TATT) were in Guyana last week at the behest of the Government of Guyana and they shared their experience in getting their authority off the ground.
At the public forum that the government hosted last week, the officials of TATT implored the Guyana Government to look for ways of collaborating with stakeholders in setting up its authority. One of those officials remarked about the similarity between the two pieces of legislation for the two countries.
The TATT is established under the Telecommunications Act 2001. According to that legislation, a Board appointed by the President of Trinidad and Tobago will consist of a Chairman, Deputy Chairman and no less than five or no more than nine members appointed by the President on terms and conditions that the President may determine.
The Act said that one member shall be appointed on the recommendation of the Chief Secretary of the Tobago House of Assembly; at least three members of the Board must be qualified in the telecommunications sector by reason of training and experience; one member must be an attorney-at-law; one member must be a representative of art and culture; one member a representative of the nongovernmental organisation movement; and the remainder qualified and experienced in economics, finance or business.
Their appointment shall not be for more than three years and the appointments of members shall not all expire at the same time.
Guyana’s legislation said that the Broadcast Authority would be managed by a Governing Board, comprising not less than four or more than seven members, one of will be the Chairman. In Guyana’s case, the President – who is the Head of State and also the Minister of Information – shall appoint the Chairman and the members of the Board. In Guyana’s case however, the Opposition Leader would be responsible for making one nomination, after meaningful consultation with parliamentary opposition.
Guyana’s Broadcast Act was passed in 2011 and made operational in August 2012. September 27, 2012 had marked the shutoff date by which all existing television station licensees should have reapplied for permission to broadcast from the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA).
The opposition has heavily criticised the composition of the GNBS – formed under the Broadcast Act – and the way that former president Bharrat Jagdeo brought it into being. It is being seen as yet another attempt to muzzle dissenting voices and critics of the government.
Speaking to Stabroek News some weeks ago, a senior official of the GNBA said work was at the time ongoing to bring all of the television stations in compliance with the legislation
.
“Many of them have reapplied. We are in discussion with the Chairperson of the GNBA Bibi Shadick. Some people need to be incorporated. We are working on getting all of them compliant,” the official told this newspaper.
The official said regulations that will follow the legislation will determine how the law will be applied. The person said that it is highly unlikely that any station will be shut down as a result of the new law.
