Sat threatens TATT

Maha Sabha secretary general Sat Maharaj.
Maha Sabha secretary general Sat Maharaj.

ATTORNEYS for Maha Sabha leader Satnaryan Maharaj and Radio and TV Jaagriti have given the Telecommunications Authority (TATT) until 4 pm on Friday, to withdraw its finding that a recording on its Maha Sabha Strikes Back programme contained “disturbing statements” made by Maharaj which TATT found “divisive and inciteful.”

In a letter to TATT’s acting CEO Cynthia Reddock-Downes, attorneys for Maharaj and the television station’s parent company Central Broadcasting Services Ltd, accused the authority of breaching its own policy, governing act and principles of common law fairness.
Attorney Stefan Ramkissoon said having looked at TATT’s letter on April 18, it appeared the authority made a finding against their client without due process, or fairness.

He reminded her of her assurance that TATT had no intention to apply any “further sanction” on the station for its alleged breach to its concession or draft broadcast code, but reserved the right to “further sanction” the station should there be another breach.
He said this was a “clear admission” by TATT that an adverse finding had been made, and accused the authority of imposing a sanction without affording his clients an opportunity to be heard.

“In our respectful view, this issue does not only concern our client but may impact on the freedom of the press and expression given the powers of TATT,” Ramkissoon said, adding that the authority, in treating with CBS, jettisoned the procedural protections in the broadcast code.

“The fact that no further sanction is to be taken in relation to this issue is of no comfort to our clients especially in circumstances where TATT has expressly reserved the right to ‘further sanction’ our clients should a breach recur,” Ramkisson said.

He called on TATT to immediately issue a retraction of its findings or warned that his clients would go to court for judicial review relief to have the decision quashed.
In April, police conducted a search at TV Jaagriti’s offices with a warrant for copies of the programme after portions of it were shared on social media.

In the programme, Maharaj referred to Tobagonians as lazy and rapists.
TATT, in an e-mail to the station’s managers, said it found the statements “were inappropriate and derogatory to Tobagonians as equal citizens of this country and, therefore, a breach of concession Clause D9.”

The television station has also denied broadcasting any content which was “divisive, inciteful, inappropriate, or derogatory to Tobagonians.”
Since the police search, Maharaj’s lawyers have since written to the Commissioner of Police seeking a copy of the warrant.

In response to the request, Christian Chandler, director of Legal Services with the police, insisted that, at the time, the police had in their possession at the time a “legitimate search warrant,” sought under section 13 of the Sedition Act, and their search was in line with their investigation.

He said the police would have no difficulty in producing the warrant in court as evidence.

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