Guyana TV station owner to sue over disconnection

C.N. Sharma

by Norman 'Gus' Thomas
Caribbean Net News Senior Correspondent

Thursday, February 3, 2005

GEORGETOWN, Guyana: The owner of a popular television station, C. N. Sharma, is moving to take the Guyana government along with the electricity company to court over what he calls the unlawful disconnection of power to his station last Friday. 

The Channel Six owner is caught up in a legal fight with the Prime Minister and the government, over the suspension of his license due to what the government called incorrect statements which bordered on incitement, regarding the way the relief supplies were handled following the recent flood. 

Sharma said he would take legal action against the Guyana Power & Light (GPL) for unlawfully disconnecting his power without reason, adding that his last bill was paid on time. 

Notwithstanding the suspension of his license to broadcast by Prime Minister Sam Hinds, Sharma resumed transmission mid-morning Friday. According to him, the decision to resume transmission was made after he was his advised by his legal team that the Prime Minister's action were unconstitutional, null and void. 

Some hours after the resumption of transmission, the National Frequency Management Unit (NFMU), Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Valmikki Singh, accompanied by four police officers showed up at the television station armed with a warrant to search the station's premises and to seize any equipment being used for transmission. 

However, the CEO and his men were denied entry to the station. This Sharma said, this led to GPL cutting his power supply, alleging that the government was behind it.. 

Stabroek News made several attempts to contact General Manager, GPL, Robin Singh and Public Relations Officer, Marjorie Chester yesterday but to no avail. 

The second attempt to close down Sharma on Friday was thwarted after a group of his supporters assembled outside the studio and kept vigil. The group mobbed a GPL vehicle, which had gone there to disconnect the power, resulting in the vehicle leaving the scene.

Earlier, the warrant that was served on Sharma said he and his wife continued to operate their broadcasting station during the suspension of their license and were in violation of section 63 of the Post and Telegraph Act Chapter 47:10 and Wireless Telegraphy regulations. 

Meanwhile, a defiant Sharma told members of the press that he is standing firm by statements made on his programme, which caused his license to be suspended. 

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