…as government ends GTT monopoly
After more than 30 years the Guyana Government has broken GTT’s monopoly on the telecommunications sector.
In making the announcement late Monday night, Prime Minister, Brigadier Mark Phillips said the Government has issued Commencement Orders to bring into full effect the Telecommunications Act 2016 (the “Act”) and the Public Utilities Commission Act 2016.
“The commencement of these Acts is nothing less than historic, aligning Guyana’s telecommunications regime to those found in other countries in the world, including most Caribbean countries, ending a thirty-year-old anti-competitive telecommunications monopoly, that have left Guyanese weary, frustrated and lagging behind in the telecommunications arena,” Prime Minister Phillips explained.
The 30-year-old monopoly was held by the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT).
According to the Prime Minister, Guyanese will immediately reap the benefits from implementation of these legislation, which create a modern and competitive environment for telecommunications resulting in greater choices, better quality of service and lower prices for consumers.
He said, at the same time, it will ensure all operators continue to enjoy all benefits conferred under the old legislative regime.
He said the liberation of the sector is consistent with the Government’s vision of furthering national and regional social and economic development. The legislation, he further explained, particularly addresses the expansion of telecommunications networks and services into unserved and underserved areas through the institution of a new universal access/universal services programme.
“The legislation create a clear, harmonised framework and a level playing field for the sector that is currently lacking, and which are characterised by transparency and non-discrimination in the issuance and monitoring of licenses and authorisations to use the spectrum, seamless interconnection and access between and among telecommunications networks and services, and price regulation where required to ensure competition and at the same time guarantees equal treatment of stakeholders, to the ultimate benefit and protection of consumers,” PM Phillips explained.
The Telecommunications Act 2016 was first laid by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government in the 9th Parliament in August 2011, and again in the 10th Parliament in 2012, after extensive consultations with both the public and operators. During the life of both Parliaments, the Act enjoyed commendable bi-partisan support. It spent considerable time before a select committee, chaired by Carl Greenidge, and included Former Prime Minister Samuels Hinds, and then Minister Mohamed Irfaan Ali.
The Act was finalised before the 2015 elections and was enacted by the Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Coalition Government in 2016 by Minister Catherine Hughes, again with bi-partisan support. “It must be emphasided that these legislation straddled administrations, and were the subject of extensive negotiations with stakeholders which lasted nearly a decade,” the Prime Minister said.
He said though the benefits of Act were well known to the APNU+AFC Coalition, it only brought a few sections of the Act into force, thereby frustrating the intent and objective of the Act.
“No doubt, the effects of liberalisation will be felt countrywide at a time when enhanced, universal and competitive access to telecommunications is pivotal to Guyana’s developmental trajectory. In face the of the Covid-19 crisis, it assumes even greater significance,” he said.
Government, Prime Minister Phillips said, remains ready and willing to work with all stakeholders to ensure that every Guyanese has affordable access to quality and modern services which they so badly deserve.
