Ramgoolam Adamant on Increasing TV Fee

The government did not give up on the rate increase of the MBC, which increased from Rs 100 to Rs 150. The new regulations giving rise to the force of law will soon be published in the Official Journal [Government Gazette], he said. In the National Assembly, Navin Ramgoolam met two interpellations Showkutally Soodhun on MBC.

The Opposition Leader Alan Ganoo has appealed to the Prime Minister, in re-examination, to postpone the rate increase because of "the difficulties that currently the population." What Navin Ramgoolam said that in the past the fee had increased by 400%, while the increase is currently 50%. And also to explain that the MBC is facing several expenses, including those for electricity, fuel or salary increase after the report of the PRB.

The Prime Minister explained that the MBC has conducted a "restructuring exercise" that reduced some expenses. For example, costs associated with the purchase of film rights and retransmisions football matches fell while cleaning and transportation are not "outsourced."

Navin Ramgoolam is also back on the former premises of the corporation, Forest Side. The building was awarded the Ministry of Higher Education for the establishment of the Open University. MBC has kept only two annexes of the building on a temporary basis for a technical unit.

The Prime Minister then provided details on the number of subscribers of the MBC. They are 284,900 to pay the monthly fee of Rs 100. 23,000 homes pay a fee of Rs 20. 41 non-domestic customers (hotels, restaurants ...) pay Rs 10,000. While 117 other subscribers pay a fee of Rs 100 for each television they own.