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…GNBA denies opposition’s claims of harassment
…vows to step up ‘policing’ of broadcasting spectrum

Source: The Guyana Chronicle Newspapers, August 11, 2019

Chairman of the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority, Leslie Sobers

CHAIRMAN of the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA), Leslie Sobers, said the broadcasting authority is not in the business of censorship as he refuted allegations levelled against it by the Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo.

In a recent article published in the Kaieteur Newspaper under the headline ‘GNBA flags freedom Radio over broadcasting violations’ Jagdeo accused the Authority of censorship. It was alleged that the broadcasting authority had been targeting anti-government broadcasting stations.

According to Jagdeo, “the broadcasting authority is terrorising radio and television stations which they perceive to be not sympathetic towards the government. They want to censor my press conferences… Managers of the stations are asked ‘can’t you find positive things to say about the government?’” a section of the article read.

Sobers, in an interview with the Guyana Chronicle on Friday, said the article and sentiments of the Opposition Leader are far from the truth. “I do not think Mr. Jagdeo can accurately or reasonably contend or conclude what is the perception of GNBA as it relates to how we deal with television and radio. I want to refute categorically, any allegation that we terrorise…We don’t intimidate, we don’t harass, we don’t terrorise. We monitor the airwaves,” the GNBA chairman clarified.

He said, however, that broadcasting entities must comply with the laws governing the spectrum. “If we find stations committing infractions, we call, we write, we invite them to discussions, we try to encourage them to move away from it because our job is to help develop the broadcasting sector, not to destroy it,” Sobers told this newspaper.
In fact, Sobers said GNBA is least concerned with the contents of the Opposition Leader’s press conferences, but rather infractions on the airwaves.

“We have no difficulties in what he says in his press conferences, we don’t monitor press conferences, and we monitor the airwaves. But if he says something at a press conference that will run contrary to the Broadcasting Act or guidelines, we expect our broadcasters to deal with that in an appropriate manner. If they air something, we can call them in, and tell them that it is inappropriate, he explained.

Citing an example, Sobers pointed to a recent press conference aired on both television and radio stations, during which, the Opposition Leader referred to the Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo in derogatory terms.

“He referred to the Prime Minister as a slime ball, as a worm, as groveling, and these pejorative words and descriptions and comparisons that are not appropriate for the air. So we have asked them to be careful when they are airing the recordings of the press conferences. We have a role to ensure that person’s reputation is not unduly tarnished by unsavory, libelous, scandalous, utterances,” the GNBA Chairman explained.

Sobers made it clear that the contention in the article that GNBA favours the government is ludicrous. “We are not the PR for the government. We’re the monitors of the airwaves, the police of the spectrum. We have coded these infractions of which they are very much aware about. Yellow for minor infractions, orange, and red are the really big ones,” he said.
Sobers noted that pro-government broadcast stations have also been warned. According to him, the National Communications Network (NCN) has been warned for several infractions, as per the procedure of GNBA.

“We prefer to work with broadcasters as it relates to content. So I find it very disturbing, and perhaps Mr. Jagdeo is trying to divert attention from something to something else… The article is Misleading, bordering on wickedness or simply trying to divert attention,” Sobers said.

Reporter: Gabriella Chapman, The Guyana Chronicle