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To address the constraints of reaching its supporters, the Alliance For Change (AFC) has announced that it is considering purchasing airtime on the state-owned radio and television channels.Vice Chairman of the AFC Moses NagamootooVice Chairman of the AFC, Moses Nagamootoo, told this publication that earlier this year, the party had submitted a request to NCN to purchase airtime but the request was not favourably considered. He said that the request will soon be followed up.The matter was initially brought to the fore last week during that party’s weekly press conference at the Side Walk Café, Middle Street. Nagamootoo had said that the purchase of the airtime was to fight the biased coverage by state-owned National Communications Networks (NCN) and the Government Information Agency (GINA).The joint parliamentary opposition – A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and AFC – has over time argued that NCN and GINA only provide coverage for the ruling administration. This had resulted in their budgetary allocations being slashed for two consecutive years.Nagamootoo added that the party will be mounting pressure on the state to allow, at minimum,Andre Dawson Cubs Jersey, the right to reply by the Opposition to attacks and statements by the Government.He said that while the right to respond exists in other democracies, it is truncated in Guyana. “It is happening in all democracies, where a Government Minister would come and make a statement then immediately the microphones are turned to the opposite side for a reaction or comment.”Apart from acquiring airtime, Nagamootoo informed that the party will be looking at legal avenues to challenge the domination of the ruling party over the state media. He said that their first step would be to bring the matter – a denial of access to state media – to the fore by way of a motion in Parliament. This, the party hopes to accomplish in conjunction with the other opposition party, APNU.Additionally, he said that the party intends to mount a boycott campaign against the state media by way of direct public appeal.“People have a right to boycott the media by way of protest, since they have a right to access information free of interference. If all are fed the Peoples Progressive Party (PPP)’s propaganda, they cannot make informed choices,” he said.“So we have limitations and we would examine all ways and means in the New Year how we would possibly improve our contacts and impact on the ground.”At the same time, the Member of Parliament admitted that having “limited access” to the state media has aided in building its masses of supporters since it is forced to make direct contact with the people. Further, the social networking site, Facebook, has “opened golden opportunities” for the AFC in the party being able to reach its supporters on the ground.