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…forced to buy time on CNS 6, Little RockKomal Chand, President of GAWUThe Guyana Agricultural and General Workers’ Union (GAWU) is complaining that the state-owned, National Communications Network (NCN) is refusing to air a taped interview recorded last week.But NCN has refuted the accusations. The network is positing that the recording has to be processed before it is aired.GAWU released a letter, Friday, which was sent to NCN Chief Executive Officer, Mohamed Sattaur, in which it said that it does not believe the excuses given for the non-airing of the interview which is important to the sugar industry.According to the letter to Sattaur, GAWU is expressing “disappointment and suspicions over non-broadcast of GAWU/NCN Television Production.”GAWU said that the Close-Up programme which is hosted by NCN’s Martin Goolsarran,Cheap NHL Jerseys China, was recorded Tuesday at NCN studios.“This non-appearance of the programme has caused the Union and those members who knew of the recording, and were looking forward to the broadcast, to speculate over and to be seriously suspicious over the reasons for the non-appearance.”GAWU said that Goolsarran, an NCN’s Executive Producer, had agreed to arrange the production of the programme for Sunday, November 1, last.“However, this arrangement was suddenly changed to Tuesday November 3, 2009. GAWU, represented by three of its senior members, (had) wished to present the unions and sugar workers’ position and perspectives on the burning national issues affecting the management of the sugar sector, the industrial action over wage and target-setting issues and other topical related problems.“You will appreciate that these issues, impact, most significantly, on the nation’s economic status and future – and that GUYSUCO has its own full-length time on the same NCN TV programme to present its position on the issues.”GAWU said that it hoped that NCN subscribes to fair and balanced reporting, the right of others to reply, since it all constitutes the fundamental principles of journalism “to which we are sure, or now, we hope, you subscribe.”According to GAWU, responses from the network to enquiries included “no time or appropriate space” and “lots of other paid programmes to be aired.”“Must we believe these “reasons” coming from professional NCN representatives? We think not. Hence, this correspondence to you, since we suspect that the well-meaning Goolsarran would not make a decision NOT to air, on his own.”GAWU said that it has always been reluctant to accuse your NCN of discrimination or favouritism based on political considerations, as various opposition detractors routinely do.“However, in light of your network’s inability or refusal to air our views on these vital issues, and since we are quite hurt and disappointed over this sensitive issues we have sought recourse to a private television service.”GAWU said that it is looking forward to an explanation for the “travesty”Yesterday, GAWU President, Komal Chand, said that the union was forced to buy airtime on CNS 6 and also at Little Rock Television Station in Berbice.NCN’s Sattaur yesterday also said that GAWU is fully aware of the procedures at NCN where any interviews will have to be edited and processed before it is aired. |
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