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Initiative group of GPB staff warns Board of Trustees

Media.Ge reports that the initiative group of the employers of the Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) called on the Board of Trustees not to declare mistrust to the General Director Giorgi Baratashvili.

Members of the initiative group – Second Channel General Producer, Dodo Shonava, Second Channel Producer Maka Asatiani, Head of Visuals and Promotion Service, Tornike Katsitadze, Head of Marketing Services, Tornike Arveladze, Head of Studio of Documentaries Kote Jandieri and Senior Director of the Studio of Documentaries Shalva Shengeli addressed the Board of Trustees on September 2nd.

According to the letter of the initiative group sent to the Board of Trustees it is necessary to create a crisis management group in order to release the GPB from pressure and to overcome the crisis.

Shonava said that based on the recommendation of the initiative group, the General Director formed an advisory board which must help the GPB in overcoming the crisis.

The advisory group will monitor and study the events underway in the GPB. Shonava also stressed that the members of the advisory board are people who are trusted by the public such as poet, David Magradze; philosopher, Zaza Shatirishvili; Director of the Center for Public Research, Marine Muskhelishvili; lawyer and management specialist, Grigol Gogelia; literature expert, Irakli Lomouri and Director of the Center for Strategic Research, Natela Sakhokia.

The statement of the Board of Trustees where they declared mistrust towards the GPB General Director was publicized in an August 30 statement. As reason for their statement the members of the Board cited the impossibility to receive a complete answer from Baratashvili on the budget and channel priorities of GPB.



Why does Senaki get flooded during rain?

Radio Liberty reports that heavy rain has damaged the municipality of Senaki for the second time this month. According to the local population, the 50-year old central water pipes in their yards are out of order from age, thus they could not deal with the heavy rain. The population asks both the local and the central government for help.

Marina Kvaratskhelia is among the people whose houses were flooded for the second time. She told Radio Tavisupleba that the garbage was stuck in the nearby river Pitsu and the water ran out of the river bank flooding the several streets.

The representative of the local NGO Women’s Union – Women for Peace and Justice, Inga Kardava, thinks the houses would not have flooded again if the local government would have carried out the rehabilitation activities effectively.

She said those affected by the July 29 natural disaster are still waiting for the state assistance as it was only the Red Cross that has provided the affected families with food and other household facilities.

The acting governor of the Senaki municipality, Gocha Dgebuadze, told Radio Tavisupleba, that the population will receive financial compensation after the exact amount of the damage is assessed. According to the current estimates, the infrastructural damage has exceeded 330, 000 GEL.

The first heavy rain in Senaki on July 29 caused damages exceeding 411, 000 GEL, while the final amount of the damage of September 1st flooding is unknown.