Govts told: Review telecom sector

Industry experts in the telecommunications sector stress that with CSME around the corner, a review is urgently needed. This was the consenus coming out of the  first meeting of the Caricom Working Group on Telecommunications was held recently in Antigua. Comprising the Caribbean Association of National Telecommunications Organisa-tions (CANTO), the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU), suppliers, users, regulators and other telecommunications experts, the group met to recommend policies that would best serve the liberalisation of the telecommunications sector under the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME).

It was agreed that liberalisation of the sector, based on the goals and objectives of CSME, must include a review of the current status of liberalisation and its relationship to the single market. Government and market transparency, as well as technical support and sharing of professional resources among Caricom members were also cited as requirements. Experts called for strengthened collaborations between Caricom Governments and organisations such as the CANTO, the CTU, the ITU, and The Inter-American Telecommunication Commission. “CANTO continues to push for closer collaboration between operators and policy makers on the formulation of policy and technical standards across the Caribbean,” says CANTO Secretary General, Regenie Fraser, who led the CANTO contingent that included experts from Antigua, Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad.

“We believe that telecommunication operators will play a pivotal role in facilitating the economic, social and cultural development of the Caribbean and in bridging the ‘Digital Divide’ both internally and extra-regionally. However, it is critical that we appropriately address the challenges which face us to allow for functional, smooth facilitation and provision of telecommunications services.” Dr Jacqui Quinn-Leandro, Antigua’s and Barbuda’s Minister of Labour, Public Administration and Empowerment, and Selby Wilson, Telecommunications Strategist at the Caribbean Telecommunications Union were among the experts in attendance. The working group was established to increase sensitisation of stakeholders on the CSME’s goals for telecommunications.

In addressing the issue of user rights, it was recommended that countries create a relevant interference regime, a clearly defined dispute resolution process and continuous and aggressive education for the general public and public officials.  Additionally, future policies must include skills sharing between Caricom member states, compatibility in technology, a framework that will allow nationals to invest in regional economies, a harmonised regulatory framework, and policies and legislations for establishing and accessing the resources of the Universal Service Fund. Over 45 participants from nine Caricom States attended.