A number of media houses, mainly print media institutions, are requesting that the government pays them what it owes them for media publications during the bicentennial celebration. The heads of the media houses have requested that government pays them with immediate effect.
In a communication to the Chairman of the Bicentennial, Ledgerhood Rennie, signed by six publishers: Philipbert S. Browne, Hot Pepper; Stanley Seakor, The Analyst; Sam O. Dean, Independent; Othello B. Garblah, New Dawn; Alphonso Toweh, New Republic; and Mohammed Kanneh, Heritage, the media executives said, “We write to request for our bicentennial payment in the tune of US$66,600 for six media institutions.”
The letter was copied to President George Manneh Weah and the Minister of Finance for Development Planning, Samuel Tweah, and noted that the amount is based on an arrangement reached with the former Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, Nathaniel McGill, and the Chairman of the Bicentennial, Rennie, to provide complete coverage of the entire event beginning Sunday, February 13, 2022.
“Mr. Chairman, it is disheartening to note that since these publications were carried out in our various newspapers we are yet to be paid.
“Mr. Chairman, we met you countlessly relative to the settlement of our Bicentennial payment, but to no avail; rather, you have referred us to former Minister McGill,” the letter noted.
The publishers said it is interesting to know that following several meetings with former Minister McGill, they were informed that the Bicentennial account was frozen due to mismanagement, and an investigation was underway.
Fortunately, they said, they were informed that additional funding was provided for the next phase of the Bicentennial, which began in July, and payment would have been made by then.
“However, there is information that said amount was paid for the media to you, which of course none of the performing institutions received payment. Mr. Chairman, it is in this regard that we are officially requesting immediate payment of our outstanding bicentennial money,” the publishers added.
Speaking to the Publisher of the New Dawn, Garblah, the Hot Pepper was informed that these institutions were contracted to fully cover the bicentennial, which they did, but without a dime as payment for their work, even though payments and payment terms were negotiated and agreed upon.
As it relates to the consequences of government not paying them their money, the Publisher of the Hot Pepper, Philipbert S. Browne, said it has not reached to that yet, noting that for now they are requesting that the government uphold their portion of the bargain.