Some NCN workers to be sent home

Last Updated on Tuesday, 25 August 2015, 4:02 by GxMedia

Several employees of the National Communications Network (NCN) are to be sent home in the coming months from the loss-making State-owned radio and television broadcaster, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo announced Monday night.

He said a number of the 163 NCN employees, who were hired to do propaganda work for the then ruling People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) would be rationalized under “another PPP- Proper Placement Plan,”

He noted that former PPP Executive Member, Kellawan Lall had been paid a salary of GUY$500 and GUY$1 million in allowances.

“Soon there will rationalising  to ensure that they perform optimally and so the entity ceases the propaganda work for the PPP and reverts to what it originally was- a government State information agency. Despite precise questioning by the PPPC parliamentarian Irfaan Ali, Nagamootoo did not provide details about the staff rationalisation process.

Against background of the fact that the Office of the President had allocated GUY$69.5 million and now GUY$27.2 million under the Prime Minister’s Office, Nagamootoo said government was continuing to provide GUY$6.8 million monthly to help pay NCN’s workers. That amount was also being provided by the then PPPC-led administration.

“NCN has been using this money as budgetary support for its staff because NCN had been badly managed,” said the Prime Minister.

He told the Committee of Supply that is considering estimates of expenditure for the 2015 National Budget, that NCN is owed about GUY$600 million of which GUY$13 million he said are owed by the PPP.

The House was also told that the state-owned Government Information Agency (GINA) had been allocated GUY$80 million and additional GUY$63.9 million have been allocated by the Office of the Prime Minister.

Nagamootoo said the recently appointed Head of GINA, Beverley Alert’s monthly salary is GUY$367,500; the same as her predecessor Neaz Subhan who resigned.