Radio Essequibo (95.5 FM) was officially commissioned on Monday, by Hon. Kwame McCoy – Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for Public Affairs in Anna Region, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam).
The station, that formerly functioned as a relay station for NCN’s Voice of Guyana, is now fully operationalized with the capacity to produce and broadcast local programmes designed to educate and inform some 14,000 residents in Guyana’s largest county.
Addressing the event, Minister McCoy said with a 53-kilometere radius, Radio Essequibo will be a major medium for information across the Essequibo coast.
He said the increased capacity will allow Essequibians to not only contribute to relevant discussions on issues affecting them, but also to place advertisements, sponsor local programmes, and purchase airtime for entertainment, education and religions and developmental purposes in keeping with national broadcasting policies.
He noted, “this launch today, gives the opportunity for building local broadcast talent and helping our citizens to be creative and to utilizing the talents especially of the younger members of this community.”
Regional Chairperson, Vilma DaSilva said being able to launch local programming is timely, since communication plays a vital role in combating the COVID-19 pandemic. Persons will also be updated on developments taking place within the region, and farmers and other business owners will be able to market their produce and goods.
“With this new network we will have more clean information reaching to our people through the length and breadth of Essequibo and the Pomeroon…I can assure you, we will make full use of such a network, ” she said
NCN operates seven other regional radio stations within its national broadcasting network. The Radio Essequibo 95.5 frequency was launched in November 2019 and the relay station commissioned in January 2020.
Also present at the event were, Regional Executive Officer, Davenand Ramdatt, NCN’s Chief Executive Officer, Michella Abraham-Ali and NCN’s Board Chairman, Mr. Raymond Cummings.
