LIKE a typical multinational corporation, GT&T and its parent company ATN believe that they can enter Guyana and railroad this country’s decision making machinery. It’s the CEO’s actions whereby he insulted the Government and its advisers, challenging their awareness, competence, knowledge, intellect and ability that mirror those of some of the largest MNC’s globally. Mind you some of these MNC’s have perpetrated genocide in some countries all in the name of profiteering as espoused by the imperialist leviathan known as the USA. The CEO should relate to the public how GT&T colluded with the despotic PNC regime that saw them (PNC) becoming majority shareholders (with 80% shares) of the company and also obtaining a 20-year monopoly – excluding the mobile sector – with the option of renewal for a further 20 years, plus 6% of the annual revenue (as so-called advisory fees) along with the dividends for its shares. Basically they were part and parcel of an orchestrated assault on the economic well-being of Guyanese. They had the monopoly – they thought for life; until Digicel made its entry.
By opening up the ICT sector the government is making modern technology affordable for all Guyanese. This Government is proposing fair legislation that will be evenhandedly applied — that is what GT&T is really objecting to — they are afraid of a fair, competitive sector that is why they have issued such scathing statements. GT&T is known to only expand in the face of competition and at one time only the very rich could have owned and used a cellphone because of the prohibitive costs.