Guyana gov't promises to liberalise telecommunication sector by year-end

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – The Guyana government Monday promised to fully liberalise the telecommunication sector “before the end of 2018”.

Telecommunications Minister Cathy Hughes made the announcement amidst speculation that the David Granger administration was not able to fulfill its promise to liberalise the sector during the first quarter of this year.

“It will happen before the end of 2018, which is long before 2020 but there are so many issues which I keep explaining that have nothing to do with my Ministry,” Hughes said.

“This is not just switching on a switch. GTT (Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company) has had a contract since 1991 and there are all kinds of issues including tax issues that had to be addressed that go back to 1991,” she added.

Hughes said that while she understands the frustration being experienced by citizens regarding the delay in liberalising the sector, her ministry if doing all it can to ensure the sector is fully liberalised as soon as possible.

Apart from GT&T, which continues to hold the monopoly on landline services, the other mobile phone service provider is the Irish-owned DIGICEL.

Hughes told legislators last year that the sector would have been liberalised by the first quarter in 2018.

The new promise of full liberalisation by the end of 2018 is expected to be completed with the accompanying regulations and the establishment of the Telecommunications Agency.

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