Opposition political parties are seeking answers regarding the delay in the passage of the Telecommunication (Amendment) Bill, which would see the liberalisation of the sector and the end of the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company’s decades- old monopoly.
Prime Minister Samuel Hinds
On Monday, September 26, People’s National Congress Reform Chief Whip Lance Carberry accused the government of playing games as it relates to the enactment of the Telecommunications Bill and the Public Utilities (Amendment) (PUC) Bill.
“Most people who have been paying attention recognise the kinds of games the government has been playing.
“It is quite clear that the government is aiming their guns at GT&T…doing every- thing possible to undermine GT&T,” Carberry told reporters at a press conference.
He questioned, “Why it is? It is for anybody’s guess why it is they are undermining and selling out deliberately… to target GT&T.”
The PNCR had boycotted Parliament and did not participate in meetings of the select committee where the bill was sent for fine- tuning after it was tabled.
Meanwhile, when contacted for a comment, Alliance For Change (AFC) Member of Parliament Khemraj Ramjattan said he could not come to a conclusive reason why the government would have made such a move, but he would be having discussions with stakeholders, including GT&T’s Chief Executive Officer Yog Mahadeo, today.
“I really can’t say, but I will be meeting with persons tomorrow,” Ramjattan told Guyana Times International.
PNCR MP Lance Carberry
Sources say that the legislation was deferred once again by the National Assembly because stakeholders have complained that there was not enough time for consultations; and as such, petitioned the minister of communications, President Bharrat Jagdeo, for more time to review the proposed legislation.
Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, who tabled the legislation in Parliament on August 4, 2011, told Guyana Times International: “The minister of communications is the best person to answer that question.” The Telecommunications Bill 2011, Bill No 18 of 2011, allows for the establishment of the telecommunications agency as well as a regular, coordinated, open and competitive telecommunications sector. Having such a bill enacted would provide for an open, liberalised and competitive telecommunications sector that would be attractive to new entrants as well as investors, while sustaining the active players within the sector.
Additionally, the bill would allow for amendments to be made to the Public Utilities Commission Act 1999. Just last year, when the draft legislation was submitted to the country’s major telecommunications companies, GT&T and Digicel, both expressed concern with some provisions therein. GT&T’s chief, Yog Mahadeo, had said his company is not fearful of competition, but believes enacting the proposed legislation would create investor and consumer uncertainty.
He noted that his company views the proposed law and regulations as somewhat removed from local realities, and that they may give rise to unfair competition.
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