The Government would be willing to debate in Parliament the proposed sale of its minority shares in the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company Limited, according to Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh.

Minister Singh made this comment in response to a suggestion by the Opposition PNCR that that party intended to move to the Parliament to block the proposed sale, as recently reported in some sections of the press.

The Minister indicated that the Government’s willingness to debate the issue is so strong, that were the Opposition to fail to raise the matter in Parliament, the Government itself might consider initiating such a debate.

The Minister pointed out that Government’s overriding concern continues to be the modernising and liberalising of the telecommunications sector, as a means of ensuring more widespread and affordable access to reliable information and communications technology.

He stated that this is seen as a critical prerequisite of growth in ICT as a productive sector that affects the competitiveness of all other economic activity in the country, and that influences the effectiveness with which Government services can be delivered.