The APNU is accusing the state-owned National Communications Network of denying its request to access the lone tv-station in Linden to speak about its plans and policies as local elections approach.

NCN is the only local tv station in the town of Linden, operating on two channels.

The APNU has complained that while its candidates are not allowed to appear on NCN Linden, there are almost nightly programmes featuring the candidates of the PPP.

Regional Chairman, and APNU Campaign Coordinator, Deron Adams said he sent a letter to the Manager of NCN Linden, Reycia Nedd a number of weeks ago, requesting the air time.

During a recent press conference held outside the NCN Linden office, Mr. Adams said the actions or inaction of the Government-controlled media house is intended to suppress the views of APNU Candidates contesting the June 12 Local Government Elections.

“As residents across Guyana prepare to elect persons from their own communities to represent them at the Local Government level, the People’s Progressive Party has embarked on a programme of using the people’s own resources to restrict, oppress and discriminate against them,” Adams said.

While expressing his frustration, the Regional Chairman pointed out that that the Manager of NCN Linden is among the candidates representing the PPP/C in the upcoming Local Government Elections. He said there is now a clear bias being showcased by the station in Linden.

“This letter remains unanswered. What has happened instead, is that the PPP/C has decided to use the people’s asset as their private mouth piece without only PPP/C electoral candidates being given the opportunity to appear on the television station. We are deeply troubled by the actions of the PPP/c Government in exploiting and restricting APNU candidates from attending programmes and engaging the electorate on the Linden television station ahead of the Local Government elections.,” Adams said.

He said there is a clear attempt to stifle the voices of the people and deny citizens access to diverse perspectives on the issues that matter to them.

APNU Constituency 1 Candidate in Linden, Sharma Solomon said the Government through its actions continues to violate the rights of citizens.

“We have had our campaign outline where we are meeting people in the constituencies, we are meeting out constituents, we are engaging them but we too know what is available to us at NCN as a state media is the opportunity as a stakeholder to have option and action taken so they can relate to you the citizens that are affected. This has been denied,” Solomon said.

He urged the people of Linden and by extension Guyana to resist the actions of the Government.

“So, we call you Lindeners to join this resistance, the resistance against the oppression of your fundamental rights, the resistance against the things that are oppressing you, and we call on Guyana to show that sort of solidarity and support to this resistance, so that we can challenge this People’s Progressive Party on these oppressive matters,” Solomon said.

Contacted for a comment today, NCN Linden Manager and PPP Candidate, Reycia Nedd said all decisions on programming are handled by NCN’s headquarters in Georgetown through the Chief Executive Officer.

Ms. Nedd explained that while she did not receive an actual hard copy of the letter sent by the Regional Chairman, a photograph of the letter was sent by him to her phone and she forwarded the document to the NCN headquarters.

There has been no response to the request.

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