Government misses goal for debut LA TV coverage

(CNS): Despite a successful test of the government’s new television channel, CIGTV20, with signals sent to the WestStar cable system from midnight last night, it failed to provide the hoped for debut of the regular proceedings of the country’s parliament. Although the state opening and other special occasions, such as the budget addresses, are televised, the normal day to day affairs of the Legislative Assembly are usually confined to recorded coverage on Radio Cayman in the evenings during meetings. However, in future, with its new TV station, government is hoping to broadcast the entire goings on live.

A release from the premier’s office Monday evening explained that thelive coverage did not materialize due to a technical problem with the remote connection to the cameras in the Legislative Assembly. However, CIGTV20 will air the recorded programs tonight from 7pm with a statement from Premier McKeeva Bush concerning the Framework for Fiscal Responsibility and the cruise port facility.

“The video cameras in the Legislative Assembly send video feed and are controlled via fibre optic cable between the Government Administration Building and the Legislative Assembly Building. While video was able to be received at the studio control room in GAB, the cameras at the LA could not be remotely manipulated,” government officials stated.
Engineers are said to be working on resolving the problem in time to cover the LA when it resumes on Wednesday.

Instead of the planned repeat of the morning session of the Legislative Assembly this evening, CIGTV20 will begin its evening programming tonight at 7pm with a statement from the premier followed by a series of GIS Spotlight shows at 7:20pm. The premier’s statement repeats at 8:05. At 8:25pm a recorded news conference announcing public consultation for the Strategic Plan for Education will be broadcast.