State media heads in altercation

The Editor-in-Chief of the National Communication Network (NCN), Leeron Brumell, has been sent on administrative leave following an altercation between him and Director of Public Information (DPI) Imran Khan.

A video of the encounter posted on social media site Facebook shows a visibly upset Khan exiting the NCN offices and attempting to “slam the door” in the path of Brumell who follows him into the corridor and pushes him against the wall twice. A heated verbal exchange ensues with Brumell waving his finger in Khan’s face and reaching out to strike him at least once. The men then move out of camera range as bewildered staffers follow.

According to Enrico Woolford, Chair of the NCN Board, following the incident at the NCN offices yesterday security officers examined taped footage and recommended that Brumell be sent on leave to facilitate an investigation.

“NCN will disclose details of the incident on completion of the investigation or the advice of security,” Woolford, who declined to provide any detail of what transpired, explained.

Brumell when contacted by Stabroek News indicated that the terms of his contract prohibited him from discussing the incident or its cause but confirmed that he was currently on administrative leave. He directed all other queries to Woolford.

Commander of Region 4(A) Assistant Commissioner Edgar Thomas when contacted told Stabroek News that police were in receipt of an allegation of assault.

“A report was made at the East La Penitence Police Station and we are investigating. The allegation is against Brumell and identifies a Mr Imran Khan as the victim,” he noted adding that Brumell is likely to be questioned today.

“Well so far we only have one side of the story. We need to get the other before we move forward,” Thomas stressed.

Stabroek News reached out to Khan for a comment on the situation but up to press time he could not be reached on his mobile number.

It has been reported that the altercation stemmed from Brumell’s objection to a governing coalition candidate reading the NCN news.

It is not clear how Khan, who is in no way connected to NCN, became involved in the situation. Khan is a senior member of the governing coalition partner, the Alliance For Change.

While in Opposition both the APNU and AFC had strenuously objected to lack of equity in the coverage provided to the opposition by state-owned media entities such as NCN.

In response the combined opposition cut their budgets in 2012 and 2013. In the latter year the funds for NCN and the Government Information Agency (GINA) were cut to $1 each.

However since coming into office these parties have been accused of continuing the same policy of inequity to which they once objected.