BBSC mandate to be reviewed
Public Accounts Committee Report 5 June, 2010 – The government will review the mandate of Bhutan Broadcasting Service corporation (BBSC) and look into ways to support the corporation. This was the outcome of the parliament discussions yesterday after the public accounts committee presented its report.
The chairperson of the committee, Mongar MP Sonam Penjore, who presented the report, said a directive to review the mandate of the corporation had become necessary, particularly the inclusion of commercial prospects.
Sonam Penjore said that BBSC has been functioning on the royal charter of 1992 and has not changed with time. “To develop the corporation, there is no clear road map. There’s a lack of strategic planning and the corporation had been functioning on obselete strategies,” said Sonam Penjore. The chairman told Kuensel that the responsibility to change and develop BBSC fell on the board of directors and the chief executive officer. “The organisation’s management structure has to be overhauled. and an commercial aspect included, so that the corporation can make some money,” he said.
The chairperson said it was also important to look into the qualification and competence of the board of directors and the management. “There’s no sense of corporate structure, no sense of innovation. BBSC is a monopoly in the television business, they can’t just sit on government budget.”
The PAC chairman said that BBSC was totally funded by the government and, to cut losses on the government, they recommended a commercial intent, so that it could make at least certain percent of the expenditure.
Tshogpon Jigme Tshultim commenting on the report said that there is a need of a private television station to keep BBSC on its toes and be competitive. The Speaker compared BBSC to the state owned and run Doordashan (DD) of India and said that BBSC will have to promote the government.
The committee also pointed out that BBSC was also given the license to operate as the multi service operator (MSO) in 2006 with expectations that the corporation would make some income. Although the corporation has borrowed Nu 6.1M to start the service, a loss to the tune of Nu 5.3M had been incurred since 2006, said Sonam Penjore. “BICMA and the government should rethink privatising the service.”
The PCA also presented its report on the mismanagement of farm roads, environment compliance by industries, which will be debated on Monday. Meanwhile, the report stated that Nu 108.8M was recovered from the total Nu 128.6M irregularities for the year 2006. This was achieved after initiating massive follow-up exercises and coordination strategies, according to the chairman, adding that it was about 73 percent of long overdue cases.
From the total irregularities of Nu 39.9M in the year 2007, the PAC has recovered Nu 22.4M. Similarly, from the total irregularities worth Nu 151.1M in 2008, Nu 99.1M was recovered.
Ugyen Penjore in Kuensel