Should Cable & Wireless leave St Lucia… PM Assures "Smooth Transition" To New Telecoms Entity - February 13, 2001

By Earl Bousquet

Prime Minister Dr Kenny D. Anthony left the island yesterday for Barbados, where he is attending two important meetings of Caribbean Heads of Government. The first is an emergency meeting of OECS leaders to discuss the latest developments in Cable & Wireless’ threat to pull out of St. Lucia at the end of next month. The second is a scheduled 12^th Intersessional Meeting of Caricom Heads of Government.

                The Prime Minister was expected to update his OECS colleagues on the latest threats by the British telecommunications giant to pull out of St. Lucia at the expiry of its current license next month. He was also expected to join his OECS colleagues in charting the way ahead for the full liberalisation of the sub-region’s telecommunications sector, which has been agreed to collectively by all the five territories in which Cable & Wireless operates.

                During the week, the company upped the ante with a propaganda offensive that included a meeting with its general staff, at which a journalist was attacked. Mirror reporter Jason Sifflet alleged he was covering the meeting when he was pursued and manhandled by senior and regular staff, who forcibly took his camera, disposed of the film and seized his recorder.

The company also issued several statements, one denying internationally circulated reports that it had already planned to dispose of its Caribbean assets as part of a policy decision to change the nature of its business. The report in the July 27 issue of the Investors Chronicle informed stock market investors that the company had already disposed of its assets in Hong Kong, while its stock in Australia was up for sale.

According to the article published for guidance of British investors, Cable & Wireless already has a potential buyer for its Caribbean assets in Singapore Telecoms, who had indicated interest in purchasing the regional assets of the British-based company.

                But the denials notwithstanding, public sentiment has not been on the company’s side, with most consumers accusing it of singling St. Lucia out for punishment.

                Attorney General Petrus Compton sought to allay public fears of a possible disruption in services, saying the company would not pull out on March 31^st. He said that before the company could implement its threat to pull out, there would first have to be negotiations with the government of St. Lucia to determine the process of transition to a new telecoms entity.

The AG explained the government did not want to see Cable & Wireless go, but if it did leave, government was prepared to fill the void, as it had been preparing for deregulation for two years.

He noted that telecommunications is “a matter of national security” and therefore had to also be seen in that light.

The government announced this week it was committed to continuing discussions with Cable & Wireless to ensure the island’s telecommunications needs are satisfied in any eventuality. But should the company no longer be interested in operating in a deregulated environment, the Prime Minister gave the assurance that “there would be a smooth transition to a new telecoms entity.”

The Prime Minister, in a statement this week, made it abundantly clear that “Government has no intention or desire to own, manage or operate telephone or other telecoms facilities, now or in the future, as it believes this activity is best left to local, regional and international business interests with the necessary know-how and experience to successfully develop the sector.”

The Prime Minister offered a special word to cable & Wireless staff, indicating that “any new entity would, of necessity, depend on the skills and experience of existing Cable & Wireless workers to deliver a quality service to the St. Lucian public.”

                Cable & Wireless admitted this past week that it was incensed over the government’s granting of a VSAT license to Helen IT’s Call Centre operation. The company claimed it had offered the new call centre favourable international rates. However, Managing Director of Helen IT Linford Fevriere publicly denied his company ever received any such offer from Cable & Wireless.

                For its part, the company issued several statements and press releases over the past few days, all intended at influencing public opinion in its favour. However, government has purposefully continued to discuss the situation with its OECS colleagues, with the Prime Minister announcing he will address the nation on the issue this coming Sunday evening after his series of meetings on this and other related matters in Barbados.

                As would be expected, the opposition United Workers Party joined the debate on the side of Cable & Wireless, with former Prime Minister Sir John Compton and former UWP Minister Romanus Lansiquot criticizing its approach to the negotiations. Mr Lansiquot – a former Cable & Wireless employee who was regarded as the company’s lobbyist in successive UWP Cabinets – also blamed the present government for the results of the monopoly agreements originally entered into by successive administration led by Sir John.

In other news major headline news this past week, the showdown between the National Development Corporation (NDC) and the Civil Service Association (CSA) seemed headed for the rocks, with the NDC’s Board of Directors reportedly standing firm behind the decision of its General Manager, Mrs Elizabeth Charles-Soomer, to terminate the employment of an employee who is also Secretary to the union’s general council.

Citing what they say are hostile industrial relations practices by the manager, several strategic branches of the union signalled their willingness to embark on national industrial action in solidarity with the dismissed worker and the general council met on the weekend to support the union’s demand that the worker be reinstated.

The union issued a Tuesday (yesterday) deadline for solution, failing which it will consider possible industrial action nationally.

The St. Lucia Tourist Board announced the island is fast becoming a shooting location for the international film industry, with at least four feature films or documentaries being shot here annually.

The House of Assembly met yesterday for its first sitting of the year and several papers and reports were laid and bills passed as the government continues its vigorous legislative programme.

The Financial Services Sector welcomed its first offshore bank this past week, when Bank Crozier International opened its doors in Castries.

Postmaster General Ianthe Charlemagne reported that conditions have improved greatly at the General Post Office of late, with refurbishment, repainting and installation of an air conditioning system in the building.

The Ministry of Communications & Works announced the establishment of a well-equipped potholing unit to take care of read works in the south of the island.

The Executive Director of the St. Lucia National Trust said he was confident that St. Lucia can overcome whatever delays may have been occasioned by the presence of the Jalousie Hilton hotel in establishment of the Pitons area as a world heritage site.

Three regional airlines announced the establishment of Carib Sky Alliance, a merged entity to operate in the contracting airline sector that will be based in St. Lucia.

The National Carnival Development Committee (NCDC) held a press conference yesterday to update the media on plans for use of the Millennium Highway for parts of this year’s enlarged carnival celebration.

The Customs & Excise Department struck a blow against the drug trade this past week, with the interception of 20 kilos of cocaine at Vigie airport carried by a passenger heading for the Virgin Islands.

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