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2nd OCTOBER 2007
MEDIA RELEASE
“PSC PRESS STATEMENT ON TELECOMMUNICATIONS LIBERALISATION”

At its council meeting on October 1, 2007, the Council of the Private Sector Commission discussed the need for liberalisation of the telecommunications sector in Guyana.

The Council recognised the substantial work that has been done by GT&T to expand the facilities and improve the quality of telecommunications in Guyana over many years, but agreed that further reform of the telecommunications sector is necessary.

The Council further recognised that the National Competitiveness Strategy identified Information and Communications Technology as a key growth opportunity for Guyana, and that the country possesses many competitive advantages such as an English speaking population, literate and trainable work force, relatively low labour costs, and a location in the same time zone as the east coast of North America. In order to realise this potential, the Council believes that significant reform of the telecommunications sector is imperative to accelerate the introduction of competition that will improve quality of service, reduce costs and drive job creation and economic growth in ICT-enabled services.

The Council noted that:

(i) the Government has committed to reform the sector as set out in the ICT4D strategy:

“A new Information and Communications Technology Act will be tabled for enactment to replace the Telecommunications Act, 1990 (No. 27 of 1990). The new Act will establish the framework for fostering the growth and development and regulation of the national information infrastructure and will provide the main rules for activities in the sector; these will include promotion of competition at all levels as effective competition has proven to be essential for increasing efficiency and lowering costs. This new law will be consistent with international norms.”

ICT4D, Page 33

(ii) GT&T has made public commitments to work with the Government to arrive at a resolution of the telecoms monopoly.

The PSC supports the work by both parties to rapidly advance this matter to conclusion in accordance with international norms, and calls on members of the National Assembly to support this process.