Also Remove Custom Duty On Broadcasting, Telecommunication Equipment
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| Samuel Kawale |
The Malawi Parliamentary
Committee on Media, Information and Communications has urged the House to pass
Access to Information bill and remove some Customs Duty on media and
telecommunications equipments as way of promoting transparency and
accountability in the public service and sustainable growth of the media,
information and communications industry.
The call was made in the House on
Wednesday evening following findings on the Committee’s visit to various Media
Houses and mobile operators in the Country from 7th to 11th September 2015.
Presenting the report,
Chairperson for the Committee, Hon. Samuel Kawale noted that both media houses
and the mobile operator’s wants Access to Information Bill and Communications
Bill passed into laws by the National Assembly when they are presented in the
House.
On this, the committee has
recommended that Government has to consider speed up the process of presenting
all the relevant Bills to be passed into laws noting that such new laws will
promote transparency and accountability in the public service and also fill the
existing gaps by the continuous use of outdated legislation.
On Customs and Duty, the
committee’s report noted that both media houses and mobile operators requested
for the removal of Customs Duty because rates of Customs Duty on equipment are
high. And pacifically on the broadcasting equipment, the committee said the
rates makes dissemination of information to the general public more expensive.
“Your Committee recommends that
the Government should consider revise downwards Customs Duty Rates on
Broadcasting and telephone equipment to promote the sustainable growth of the
media, information and communications industry.” Said Hon. Samuel Kawale adding
that mobile operators are also complaining of vandalism of the telephone
equipments by the general public which are slowing down the development
progress of the industry
The Report noted with appreciation
that both media and mobile operators have made substantial investments
throughout the country in modern technology to provide quality services to all
Malawians.
Hon Kawale said his Committee was
very impressed with the infrastructural and technological developments that
most private media houses are putting in place, investing a lot of money in
modern equipment for both radio and television stations.
"You may wish to note that
some media houses plan to go into multiple channel broadcasting and others have
already been invited to broadcast on DSTV." He informed the House noting
that the media houses are also playing important role in socio economic
development because they are employing a lot of people throughout the country with
their wide spread in all districts of the country
The committee also commended the
mobile sector for playing crucial role not only on talk service but also on
internet services, mobile money as well as providing employment and being one
of the biggest tax payers in the country.
But the committee has encouraged
all media houses and mobile operators in the country to adopt and adapt to new
technologies “all the time” in order to survive in the international media
market competition.
Speaking of visit to Malawi Communications
Regulatory Authority (MACRA) the committee noted that Cyber Security is the
main issue in the ICT world today and as such, the Electronic Transaction bill
is intended to curb such cybercrimes. But the committee has encouraged MACRA as
regulator to continue being accountable and transparent to the General public
in carrying out its duties so as to promote further growth of the Media,
Information and Communications industry.
During the visit, however, the
committee was not impressed with the state of infrastructure and equipment at
the state broadcaster, the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) as the station
has old equipment requiring replacement. The committee has recommended
Government to inject adequate resources to MBC for renovation of infrastructure
and procurement of modern broadcasting equipment.
Objective of the visit was to
appreciate success and challenges in the media, information and communications
industry; particularly to appreciate the state of infrastructure, progress
being made on some projects that fall within the mandate of the committee and
to appreciate the success and challenges of the MACRA.
The committee visited a total of
four radio stations, televisions and print media houses namely; Zodiak
Broadcasting Station, Blantyre News Papers Limited (The Times Group), Nation
Publications Limited, and MBC. On telephone companies were; Telokom Netowks
Limited, and Malawi Telecommunications Limited, Multi-Choice Malawi Limited and
the MACRA were also visited
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