…GTT says unintimidated by competition

THE Guyana Telephone & Telegraph Company Ltd (GTT) is ready to negotiate with the government on the liberalisation of the telecommunication sector and is unintimidated by the possible competition new players will bring to the market.

GTT has had a monopoly in the sector for some 20 years, but Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Justin Nedd, at a press conference at Herdmanston Lodge on Tuesday, said that liberalisation is now “closer than ever.”

However, when asked what has held up the process, Nedd abstained from going into much detail, but said that GTT is doing its part by working along with the government and the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) to facilitate the process. “The last sit-down we had with the government a few years ago was productive. We’ve since exchanged a number of documents and papers and so, we’re ready. In fact, with our great relationship with the Ministry of Public Telecommunications, I think we’re closer than ever,” he said.

When pressed further for a time frame, he added: “I think I’d be foolhardy to give a time frame, because we’re just one party to the negotiations and I think that would be a better question for the Ministry of Public Telecommunication…they have their teams in place but, I want to say, sometimes things take time…we’re ready to sit with the government any time and we’ll continue to provide them with the documents they request.”

The CEO said further that just last week, a tranche of documents was handed over to the ministry by GTT, which suggests that the process is still ongoing.

GTT provides landline, internet and international long-distance services, but Nedd says that although the company has exclusivity to these “on paper”, it is not the only provider of these services, save for landline connections.

This is what he used to justify that the company remains unbothered about the coming of liberalisation and the competition it will bring.

“We operate in a competitive space already. What liberalisation will do, in my belief, is level the playing field where we all either pay 45 percent taxes and adhere by the same regulatory rules and I like our chances,” he said, later, adding:
“So in the space of liberalisation I would say, in practical terms, it’s already here and we’re operating in that space already, so am I concerned? Not particularly. We operate like that and we have a sense of urgency already.”

GTT’s competition, DIGICEL, has also expressed its excitement about the future after liberalisation and its CEO in 2016 stated that with the sector being open to fair competition, all parties will benefit.

Minister of Public Telecommunications, Cathy Hughes, has committed to the full liberalisation of the country’s telecommunications sector by this year-end, prior to which she says several issues, including tax issues, would have to be addressed.

Meanwhile, GTT’s contract with the government dates back to 1991, while 2017 saw Cabinet’s approval for the establishment of the Guyana Telecommunications Agency and the commencement of the Telecommunications Act, 2016.