Clousseau reprints a tell-tale part statement issued by the American parent company of the Guyana Telephone & Telegraph Atlantic Tele Network, with reads: “We are highly dependent on GT&T for a majority of our revenue and profits. For this year ended December 31, 2007, approximately 57% of our consolidated revenue and approximately 46% of our consolidated net income, respectively, were generated by GT&T. As of December 31, 2007, we have invested approximately $280 million in Guyanese telecommunications infrastructure. Our international long distance revenues have accounted for approximately 28% of our consolidated revenue in 2007. A loss of exclusivity on international voice and data services would result in a reduction in the international call traffic that we handle and could also result in a decline in international calling rates and termination fees. Any modification, early termination or other revocation of the exclusive domestic fixed and international voice and data licence could adversely affect a majority of our revenues and profits and diminish the value of our investment in Guyana. See Risk Factors – Our exclusive licence to provide local exchange and long distance telephone services in Guyana is subject to significant political and regulatory risk.”

“GT&T also faced an increased competitive environment for wireless services in Guyana during 2007 Digicel’s entry into the Guyana wireless market in November 2006 through acquisition has significantly increased the competition we face in the Guyana wireless market. Since this entry, Digicel has used aggressive operations and capital spending to gain market share, including promotional pricing, the use of extensive giveaways and handset subsidies. In turn, we countered with our own promotions and accelerated the timing of some of our capital expenditures on network expansion and upgrades. We believe that network coverage and quality is service at competitive prices are some of the most important bases on which we compete. This heightened competition has resulted in higher marketing expense and a decline in market shares. During 2007, we also completed the migration of subscribers from our TDMA network to our GSM network, which allows us to offer richer handset feature and certain wireless data services while increasing our network capacity.”

The foregoing is purposefully being brought to the attention of all Guyanese in light of preposterous misinformation issued by the Chief Executive Officer of GT&T, Major General (ret’d) Joseph Singh when he alleges that “super profits” assertions are nonsense!

What is more, the Atlantic Tele Network’s statement, which can be accessed from the website, clearly conveys how highly dependent they are on the profits out of GT&T as well as the lengths they are prepared to go to hold on to the status of exclusivism, the word they prefer to adopt rather than monopoly.
Clousseau is prepared to continue with whatever disclosures which affect the relations between GT&T and the populace, if prodded.