PM defends license suspension

President Bharrat Jagdeo has defended his decision to suspend the licence of a privately owned television station.



Last week, Mr. Jagdeo suspended the license of CNS Channel 6 for four months, for re-airing a show in which a caller threatened to kill the President, if any of her children were hurt in the crime wave in the country.



Mr. Jagdeo said the license was suspended because the station allowed the caller’s comments to go on air subsequent to the show.



He said he did not believe the warning issued to the owner of the company by the Advisory Committee on Broadcasting after the infringement was enough.



The Guyana Press Association condemned the President for presiding over the matter, saying he should not have done so because he was the aggrieved party.



Mr. Jagdeo said he had no choice after the Head of the Presidential Secretariat, the station owner blocked Dr. Roger Luncheon from hearing the case.