Media fees in Mozambique: Disputed decree 40/18 “goes to reflection and pondering”

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Media fees in Mozambique: Disputed decree 40/18 “goes to reflection and pondering”

1:17 CAT | 15 Aug 2018

Photo: O País

The Decree 40/18 increasing media fees now goes to consultation with a view to its improvement, but was not discussed at Tuesday’s cabinet meeting, spokeswoman Ana Comoana has said.

This is the first government statement regarding the fees recently approved by the Council of Ministers, which are causing a stir in the media industry. Speaking at the end of this Tuesday’s session, Comoana made a point of emphasising that the matter was not discussed at that session, but that the decree is now going for wider consideration at sector level by all stakeholders involved.

Ana Comoana avoided going into details about the nature of consultation the document will be subject to, but expressed her hope that the reflection would bring good results.

“If there is to be this reflection, what we can expect is that the sooner they begin and that as media professionals feel and see, this moment, as a moment to contribute with ideas that can bring elements of pondering, if that is the case”, she said.

Asked why the proposal was not debated before its approval, Comoana said that the Cabinet’s information was that the proposal had already been through this process, but did not know at what level. She said media professionals should now take the opportunity offered.

A first meeting organised by Gabinfo will take place tomorrow, Thursday, pending confirmation, we learned. Regarding the entry or not into force of the new decree on the 23rd of this month, Comoana said that this was a legal matter on which she could not comment, adding only that the sooner the discussions began, the better.

Also in the Tuesday session, the cabinet appointed Abdul Naguib chairman of the board of directors of Radio Mozambique and Vitoria Daniel Paulo chairman of the board of directors of the Mozambique Commodities Exchange.

By Luís Mazoio

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Source: O País