Cape Verde Regulator Blocks TCV Management Dismissal
Cape Verde’s media regulator, the Social Communication Regulatory Authority (ARC), has blocked a move by the board of directors of the national public broadcaster to fire its management team. The ruling, issued on Tuesday, concludes that there is no legal basis for the dismissal.
Regulator Finds Lack of Evidence
The conflict began in early September when the board of directors of Televisão de Cabo Verde (TCV) announced its intent to remove the station’s management. The board cited a string of alleged failures, most notably the delayed coverage of a catastrophic road accident on Fogo Island on September 5, which claimed 25 lives.
However, the ARC issued a binding unfavorable opinion, stating that the request lacked “sufficiently demonstrated facts” to support claims of mismanagement or serious professional failures. The regulator noted that the board failed to provide evidence of any internal investigation or formal proceedings to establish specific responsibility for the alleged shortcomings.
Management Points to Resource Shortages
In its defense, the TCV management team previously acknowledged that the station’s response to the Fogo Island tragedy “could have been better.” However, they argued that their performance was severely hindered by a lack of equipment and personnel. They turned the blame back on the board of directors, stating that the board is ultimately responsible for the station’s budget and resource allocation.
A National Tragedy
The incident at the center of the dispute remains one of Cape Verde’s deadliest road accidents. On September 5, a bus transporting students and other passengers on a tour of Fogo Island veered off the road and plummeted 30 meters down a cliff. The disaster resulted in 25 deaths, sparking national mourning and intense scrutiny of how the state media reported the crisis.
With the ARC’s ruling, the TCV management will remain in place, as the regulator deemed the board’s attempt at dismissal to be legally and factually insufficient.
Image: Pexels – SHAHBAZ ZAMAN
