Guyana: Government legislators laud new telecom bill

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – Government legislators have voted to send to a parliamentary special select committee, the Telecommunications Bill with Prime Minister Samuel Hinds indicating that the amendments will create a level playing field as well as a clear, harmonised, transparent and non-discriminatory legal regime.



However, members of the main opposition People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) boycotted Thursday’s sitting of the National Assembly when the measure was taken.



The Bharrat Jagdeo government says the Bill provides for an open, liberalized and competitive telecommunications sector that will be attractive to new market entrants and investors, while preserving the activities of the current sector participants.



It also specifically addresses the expansion of telecommunication networks and services into unserved and underserved areas through the institution of a new universal access/universal service programme in an effort to further national, regional, social and economic development.



The Bill consists of 95 clauses and seven sets of regulations which aim to create a new open competitive regime which will be fair to and, preserve the activities of the current sector participants, and attractive to new entrants large or small, of wide interests or narrow and specialised interests.



Prime Minister said the legislation “should give more play to the initiative, innovation and ingenuity of our people, so that they could experiment and create the hybrid systems which will rapidly evolve to arrangements which are appropriate to our geographic and economic circumstances.



“It does us, it does a society no good if the providers of any service are driven to a point where services deteriorate,” he said.



“But how are we to know, how can we tell that providers are being as efficient and effective in whatever they do, not making a killing, not exploiting us but always seeking to provide services at the lowest possible sustainable prices?”



Hinds said that for some reason, Guyana, like many other countries did not deliver the expected results with the government monopoly approach as it relates to telecommunications, leading to the privatisation of the company that is now known as the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GT&T) Company.



But he told legislators that as the transition took place, emerging technologies were not included in that monopoly and as such the administration was able to seek investors and nurture competitive investments into the new emerging mobile-cellular telephone service.



“The competition between the Blues and the Reds has certainly benefitted our people and has certainly created excitement and a sense and reality of enjoying many of the most recent marvels of telecoms technology.



“Each cell phone service (G T & T and Digicel), reports about 300,000 customers with handsets ranging from the most basic to the most sophisticated blackberries and iphones are common in Guyana. Nearly every one of our people including children now has a cell phone,” the Prime Minister said.



Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee described the Bill as a “flagship” piece of legislation that would provide several job opportunities, allow for easier access and use of the internet, reduce the cost of telecommunication services, and lead to the emergence of a new generation of entrepreneurs.