BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – The Barbados government says it has no plans to privatise the state-owned Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) despite the entity having chalked up millions of dollars in debt.
Prime Minister Freundel Stuart said the radio and television station had been operating with an accumulated deficit that had quadrupled to over BDS$76 million (US$38 million) by the time the ruling Democratic Labour Party (DLP) government came to office three years ago.
He said it was time now to restructure the media house.
“Let the word go forth: the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) government established CBC as a state-owned station. The DLP Government will keep CBC as a state-owned station. Let there be no debate over that,” he said.
“CBC is not, at this stage under this Government, going to be privatized. Those who wanted to do it had 14 years to do it and did not do it,” he said during the debate in the House of Assembly on a resolution to approve a BDS$40.6 million (US$20.3 million) lifeline for CBC.
