Consumer groups urge govt to review GT&T monopoly
Stabroek News
May 14, 2007
The Guyana Consumers Association (GCA) is calling on the government to review the monopoly of the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) on international telecommunications.
In a press release signed by the Association's President, Eileen Cox, the GCA stated that the monopoly has created and is creating much hardship for the people of Guyana. It declared that the association along with the Consumers Advisory Bureau (CAB) had long complained of the "frequent breakdowns in the telecommunication system resulting in no telecommunication contact with some foreign countries and including the non-availability of the internet". It asserted that the breakdowns isolate Guyana from the rest of the world and could affect the safety of the nation saying "the interruptions cause business people to lose business and large sums of money, e-mail communication and air-travel are disrupted, students are unable to access internet, urgent medical help from overseas is unavailable, communication by telephone to some countries is unavailable causing distress to many whose families are living abroad".
The association declared that GT&T was given a monopoly of telecommunication with foreign countries on the agreement and understanding that the monopoly-holder would provide a first class and reasonably priced service. "GT&T has not been providing such a service and this failure to provide a good and reasonable service negates the monopoly", the association said.
GCA and CAB therefore welcome the decision of Prime Minister, Samuel Hinds to bring relief to the people of Guyana by having another company, Digicel, fill the breach, the release said.
The Americas II cable which is relied on by GT&T recently suffered a break and GT&T had to seek back-up facilities from other providers. The government later announced that Digicel would be given temporary permission to provide overseas telecommunications service.