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Letters to the Editor
Why didn't you publicise your decision, Mr Holness?
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Dear Editor,
How can anyone ever trust politicians in this country?
Just a few months ago, former Prime Minister Bruce Golding announced that the Government would be approving the acquisition of Claro's business by Digicel. It was an announcement of monumental proportions, given the dynamics of the Jamaican mobile market.
He trumpeted the fact that one of the conditionalities for the approval of the deal would be that Digicel would have to operate the two networks separately — one could be excused for thinking that this was in the interest of consumers.
Now we learn that on December 8, three weeks before the last general election, former Prime Minister Andrew Holness, in nothing short of a Nicodemus move, rescinded that stipulation. Can someone explain?
I say Nicodemus because there was no announcement, no fanfare and no published advertisement. Given the importance of this transaction and the visibility it had, how could Mr Holness just quietly change this stipulation?
At the very least, he should have announced this in Parliament, if it was still in session; or issued a press release or included it in one of his national broadcasts.
This is an important development and Mr Holness should remember that the spectrum which is utilised by all the mobile players is a resource which belongs to the Jamaican people and not to politicians or Digicel to be treated as either sees fit. It will be interesting to see what the next chapter is in the mobile story.
Don't worry, Mr Holness, if you are still the leader of the JLP, I will see you again at the polls and I will not forget.
Leighton Foster
Kingston 8
 
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1/15/2012
Can monopoly run two company Same Services ?
Digicel OWN Digicel..!!!
Digicel OWN Claro...!!!
Only an ediot would believe digicel would do that to benifit consumer....
All we consuner want is lower call rates...Let the goverment take back the Spectrum Licene for claro and find another company to repalce Claro Slot
Bruce Golding Stipulation just did not make sense at all . So Mr Paulwell must do what he got to do.
1/15/2012
I blame Philip Paulwell. If he had not agreed the then PM Holness could not have gone ahead and approved the removal of the stipulation.
Get real,since when can anyone tell the previous Labour Party government what to do?, especially a PNP member.
It was Andrew's call and he should step up , be a man and accept responsibility.
The young is blessed with energy but they also possess youth exuberance which makes them prone to making hasty, not well thought out decisions. Case in point.
1/15/2012
digicel contributed to both parties, did he do something illegal or unconstitutional , did anybody else knew
1/15/2012
One thing i know about the politicians of both political parties is that they behave like they are divinely appointed rather than elected. In Mr. Holness case he behaved like he was anointed. He is a very arrogant person and he acts like he is the only one in Jamaica that attended school. Despite the information age politicians are still trying to take Jamaican people for fool. The last election is a referendum on that. If the new government is to succeed, they must be UPFRONT or ONE TERM.
1/15/2012
'Why didn't you publicise your decision, Mr Holness?'
Because, while he could see an upside to being 'decisive', he could not see one in being actually 'transparent'? Seeing as how his definition of transparency is admitting to what is already common knowledge, being open about this development was not called for.
1/15/2012
The first bill that must be passed in the New Parliament is one outlawing Monolopies. In a free market economy there is no room for monolopies. This nonsense of having selected monolopies is harming the development of our country. There should be regulations for doing business in Jamaica. People should be free to invest in or set up any kind on business they want to do, and compete for customers. It is absolutely idiotic for our govt. to be protecting companies and guaranteeing them profits.
1/15/2012
We seem to be missing some Key elements here
1. The New Minister can change the stipulation but he choose not to Why
A. He was aware having been part of the discussion
B. He thought Mr Golding Stipulation was too strenious for Digicel to operate both as seperate networks
C. He stated that he would have changed it had Mr. Holness not done so before him.
So either way the situation would have been the same.
2. Customers you have a choice switch to Digicel, Lime or none at all.
1/15/2012
Mr Paulwel knew and didn't say anything either.
1/15/2012
What Mr. Holness did was strictly to enable funding of his party electoral machinery by Digicel, nothing more, nothing less, he wasnt thinking about the impact and ramification of the decision on the business landscape and how it would affect consumers. This is why he is now the opposition in parliament, and why every time during the election just past he is always saying I this and I that. He just like the party does not see things beyond themselves.
1/15/2012
The question should be how much did Digicel contributed to the election campaign for the JLP?
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