Contact:
John Emmanuel
Wednesday, April 19, 2000
-As delegates from the OECS enter the third and final day of a three-day
regional meeting discussing the Regulatory Framework for Telecommunications
Reform, a call has been echoed for telecommunication giant Cable and Wireless to
make further reductions and adjustments to its pricing structure.
It has come from St. Lucia’s Minister for Communications, Works, Transport and
Public Utilities Senator, Honourable Calixte George.
Minister George, who heads the region’s telecommunication negotiation machinery,
told Cable and Wireless representatives at the opening of the meeting on April
18 at the Bay Gardens Hotel, that governments of the region noted with joy the
recent reductions in local and international telephone rates, and internet
services, but he says more substantive reductions are needed, especially in
relation to rates for cellular phones.
According to Minister George, “We are pleased that they are moving in the right
direction, but are still disturbed by the absence of the provision of cost data
in the proposals that they send. It’s the absence of this information that has
led us to believe that the tariff rates are not justified and are still too
exorbitant. I have already written them indicating that the Internet rates,
which they just adjusted downward, is still not good enough, and I’m awaiting
the rates for cellular services.
Of course, we are aware that Cable and Wireless is still under the illusion that
in this day and age, they still have exclusive rights in major
telecommunications areas throughout the OECS and indeed throughout the region…
They continue to wield the compensation sword of their so-called exclusive
rights. This we are resisting with firmness and resolve.”
Concerning Internet charges Minister
George indicated that government had come up with a series of alternatives,
which it anticipates that Cable and Wireless will put in place over a period of
time. Under the proposed alternatives Internet charges will be categorized into
educational institutions, government ministries, informatics and technology
companies, general business and residential and family activities.
“Obviously, all educational institutions should have free access to the net. We
are proposing that the basic charge per-month for government ministries should
be $300 for 300 hours and any additional hour is about 50 cents per-hour. For
Informatics and Technology companies we have divided it into two - large and
small-scale companies. In the case of the small-scale companies we are proposing
$250 for 500 hours and for the additional hour, 25 cents per hour. For large
companies $450 for 1000 hours and the additional hours 20 cents per hour;
general business $300 for 200 hours and every additional hour 50 cents;
residential, $62.50 for 50 hours and any additional hour is 30 cents. We believe
that that is where we have to go if we have to be competitive,” said Senator
Calixte George.
The three-day seminar is part of an ongoing process designed to sensitise policy
makers on the issues confronting OECS countries in the matter of
telecommunications reform and to develop regulations suited to a competitive
market.
