Some Questions for CMC (Formerly CANA)

Thu, Sep 12, '02

by DON BRATHWAITE

I notice the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC), formerly CANA, has been providing news and sports stories for newspapers following their radio coverage of the recent Test cricket series against India and New Zealand in the Caribbean.

Could someone tell me if CMC has cleared all its debts, including monies owed to stringers and correspondents in several Caribbean islands at the time of their 'closure' last January?

Also, could you ask CMC's Chief Operating Officer, Mr Gary Allen whether the commentators were paid for their services and if so, why have the correspondents, who previously worked for CMC not been paid for work done prior to the 'closure' of operations?

It is also my understanding that CMC staff in Barbados that were unceremoniously laid off are yet to be paid severance from the National Insurance Office since they were not given any sort of 'package' after spending several years with the Caribbean News Agency (CANA) which was merged with the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation (CBU).

Could Mr Allen also say why all of his Jamaican compatriots have been retained for employment with the company while many experienced Barbadian journalists have been left by the wayside without a job even though they have the skills to write many of the stories that are being done for CMC's e-mail News?

Can Mr Allen also say why none of the print journalists from the old CANA Wire Service at the time of the closure in January, were re-hired to provide stories for the CMC e-mail news, bearing in mind that they were the ones performing the wire service stories, which are now being classified as e-mail News?

Finally, could Mr Allen or Mr Michael Whyte state why CMC's leading cricket writer, who had been travelling around the Caribbean for many years on the company's behalf, not retained, like the commentators for coverage of the 2002 Busta Cup Series; West Indies v India; West Indies v New Zealand and the Red Stripe Bowl?

Before the Governments of the Caribbean go to bed with CMC and provide it with a rescue package so that it can return to full-scale operations, under new management, of course, answers to the afore-mentioned questions must be provided as there is a definite need for transparency in the affairs of CMC.