Chairman of the Governing Board of the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA) Leslie Sobers yesterday issued a letter of approval for Linden Broadcasting Network to receive a long-in-the-works television broadcasting licence.
A brief statement issued by the GNBA said the approval has been issued for the “Secondary Zone” licence as the Linden Broadcasting Network has satisfied all the necessary requirements of the GNBA.
“The Authority hereby extends congratulations to the Linden Broadcasting Network and expresses optimism that this broadcasting entity will assist in the further development of broadcasting in Guyana, particularly in the mining town of Linden,” it said.
The issuance of the letter came one week after Minister of State Joseph Harmon announced that Linden was on the brink of receiving the long-awaited television licence.
The Ministry of the Presi-dency last week reported Harmon as saying that Sobers had indicated that the licence would be made available after the establishment of a management committee, which would be responsible for administration. Harmon told those gathered at a flag raising ceremony at the Linden Bus Park that this establishment “will be addressed next week.”
“This is historical for you Linden. Things are happening here in Linden and once we have worked out those issues, you can be assured that you will receive the licence within one week,” he was quoted as saying.
The GNBA yesterday said the approval letter was received by Region Ten Member of Parlia-ment Jermaine Figueira on behalf of Chairman of the Linden Broadcasting Network, Renis Morian, who is also Regional Chairman. Also present at the ceremony was Geeta Chandan-Edmond, who is the Legal Adviser and Assistant to Harmon.
The agreement for the people of Linden to have their own television station was part of a pact the region brokered with the then PPP/C government to end protests in the aftermath of the deaths of three men in 2012. However, it never materialised during the tenure of the former administration.
In 2015, the current APNU+AFC coalition government named the granting of the licence as one of its goals to be achieved during its first 100 days in office.
On June 25th, 2015, Prime Minister Nagamootoo told the National Assembly that the situation in Linden would be corrected expeditiously after the GNBA was restructured and the application for a television licence by the people of Linden was reviewed. He told the National Assembly that a television station for the people of Linden was “guaranteed” and that technical arrangements were being finalised.
