(CEMESP/IFEX) – Reporter Othello Guzean of the government-controlled radio network, Liberia Broadcasting System (LBS), has been suspended indefinitely by the network’s director general, Charles Snetter Jr. According to a 16 January 2006 letter from Snetter to the reporter, Guzean was suspended for allegedly violating the editorial policy of the station. However, Guzean indicated to CEMESP […]
(CEMESP/IFEX) – Reporter Othello Guzean of the government-controlled radio network, Liberia Broadcasting System (LBS), has been suspended indefinitely by the network’s director general, Charles Snetter Jr.
According to a 16 January 2006 letter from Snetter to the reporter, Guzean was suspended for allegedly violating the editorial policy of the station.
However, Guzean indicated to CEMESP that he was suspended because he conducted and aired an interview of Montserrado County District Seven parliamentarian Thomas Fallah.
In the interview, representative Fallah, an opposition parliamentarian from the Congress for Democratic Change party, accused President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of manipulating some members of the House of Representatives to remove Edwin Snowe as Speaker of the National Legislature of Liberia.
The LBS director general, according to Guzean, described the airing of such an interview as unacceptable and in contravention of the station’s editorial policy.
The director general reportedly described Representative Fallah’s reference to President Sirleaf as “Madam Sirleaf” during the interview as an insult to the Presidency of Liberia.
Snetter also seized the cassette containing the interview, Guzean said.
Guzean is meanwhile calling on the Press Union of Liberia and other media rights organizations to intervene to ensure that the LBS management pays his salary and all other benefits due him in accordance with Liberian labour laws.
For further information contact CEMESP, Benson & Buchanan Streets, P.O. Box 3480, Monrovia, Liberia, tel: +231 651 4357, e-mail: centerforpeacebuilding@yahoo.com
