2019-10-14

OBJECTS AND REASONS

This Bill would amend the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation Act, Cap. 276 to provide for modern broadcasting services, abolish the post of general manager, establish the posts of chief executive officer and chief operating officer and for related matters.

Arrangement of Sections

Short title

Amendment of section 2 of Cap. 276

Amendment of section 3 of Cap. 276

Amendment of section 4 of Cap. 276

Amendment of section 6 of Cap. 276

Amendment of section 7 of Cap. 276

Amendment of section 9 of Cap. 276

Amendment of section 20 of Cap. 276

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BARBADOS

A Bill entitled

An Act to amend the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation Act, Cap. 276.

ENACTED by the Parliament of Barbados as follows:

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation (Amendment) Act, 2019. 1.

Amendment of section 2 of Cap. 276

Section 2 of the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation Act, Cap. 276, in this Act referred to as the principal Act, is amended

by deleting the definitions of “broadcasting”, “broadcasting services”, “receiving station”, “television”, “transmitting station”, and “wireless telegraphy”; and

by inserting in the appropriate alphabetical order the following new definitions:

“ “broadcasting” means any transmission of programmes, whether or not encrypted, by radio waves, other means of telecommunication or by other electronic delivery, for reception by the public by means of broadcasting receiving apparatus, but does not include any such transmission of programmes that is made solely for performance or display in a public place;

“broadcasting receiving apparatus” means a device, or combination of devices, intended for or capable of being used for the reception of broadcasting;

“encrypted” means treated electronically or otherwise for the purpose of preventing intelligible reception;

“other means of telecommunication” means any wire, cable, radio, satellite, optical or other electromagnetic system, or any similar technical system; and

“programme” means sounds or visual images, or a combination of sounds and visual images, that are intended to inform, enlighten or entertain, but does not include visual images, whether or not combined with sounds, that consist predominantly of alphanumeric text;

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(a)

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“receiving station” means a station for the receipt of messages or other matter;

“transmitting station” means a station for the transmission of messages or other matter.”.

Amendment of section 3 of Cap. 276

Section 3 of the principal Act is amended by deleting subsection (1) and substituting the following:

There shall be a Corporation, to be called the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation (hereinafter in this Act referred to as “the Corporation”), whose function shall be to provide, in accordance with this Act, services related to broadcasting that are of a high quality both as to the transmission and as to the matter transmitted.”.

“(1)

Amendment of section 4 of Cap. 276

Section 4 of the principal Act is amended by deleting subsection (1) and substituting the following:

The Corporation may by a vote of a majority of all the members thereof delegate to any one or more of the following persons, that is to say, the chairman, the chief executive officer, the chief operating officer and a committee appointed by the Corporation, such of the functions of the Corporation as to enable them effectively to transact such of the day-to-day business of the Corporation as the Corporation may decide.”.

“(1)

Amendment of section 6 of Cap. 276

Section 6 of the principal Act is amended by deleting subsection (2) and substituting the following:

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It shall be the duty of all officers, employees and agents of the Corporation, and in particular of the chief executive officer to ensure that any standards so laid down are maintained.”.

“(2)

Amendment of section 7 of Cap. 276

Section 7 of the principal Act is amended by deleting subsection (2) thereof.

Amendment of section 9 of Cap. 276

Section 9 of the principal Act is amended by deleting and substituting the following:

The Corporation may appoint advisory committees to advise the Corporation on any matter concerning services related to broadcasting and other business of the Corporation and consisting of as many persons whether or not members of the Corporation as the Corporation thinks fit.”.

“9.

Amendment of section 20 of Cap. 276

Section 20 of the principal Act is amended by deleting and substituting the following:

The Corporation may appoint and employ at such remuneration and on such terms and conditions as it thinks fit a chief executive officer, a chief operating officer, a secretary and such other employees and agents as it may deem necessary for the proper carrying out of this Act provided that:

no person shall be appointed chief executive officer or chief operating officer without the prior approval of the Minister;

“20.

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the Corporation shall have power to dismiss the chief executive officer or chief operating officer, subject to the prior approval of the Minister;

no salary in excess of such sum as the Minister may determine and notify in writing to the Corporation shall be assigned to any post without the prior approval of the Minister ;

no appointment whether permanent or temporary shall be made to any post to which a salary is assigned by the Minister under paragraph (c) without the prior approval of the Minister;

except with the prior approval of the Minister, no person shall be dismissed from any post specified in paragraph (d).”.

(b)

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Read three times and passed the House of Assembly this day of , 2019.

Speaker

Read three times and passed the Senate this day of , 2019.

President

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