NCC gets own team for Carnival broadcasts

NLCB’S online lottery games will be broadcast on Channels 4 and 16, which have been leased by the Ministry of Culture to the NCC to broadcast Carnival events. NBN’s replacement company Caribbean New Media Group (CNMG) is expected to operate from the old NBS building at 17 Abercromby Street in Port-of-Spain, but sources said the building lacks space for television studios and does not have adequate parking accommodations. Government has said it would refurbish the building to enable the CNMG to come on stream in the next six months. NCC Chairman Kenny De Silva  told Newsday, “The NLCB has entered into an arrangement with the NCC as any other client,” to facilitate the live broadcast of the online lottery games.

Asked when he had requested the use of Channels 4 and 16, he requested that we call him after half an hour, but later attempts to reach De Silva were futile. The NCC will be in charge of its own broadcast of Carnival events on Channels 4 and 16. Sources say former senior manager, Bert Hinkson, has been contracted to put together a technical team to run a 6 am to 11 pm programme schedule for a three-month period. Questions have been raised, however, as to why the NCC was given a three-month lease, and what type of programmes will be aired, since Carnival is in the first week of February.