GOVERNMENT is planning a major overhaul of the regulatory bodies that govern telecommunications and technology, to create a single regulator, Senator Colin Campbell, the information minister, announced yesterday.

Campbell, speaking at the opening ceremony of the inaugural two-day Caribbean Media Conference at the Hilton Kingston Hotel, said the Government was currently considering recommendations from two recent studies on the regulation of the telecommunications and technology sectors to evaluate the feasibility of the consolidation.

“Hopefully, next Monday we will have a final consideration of some of these proposals and it is estimated that perhaps within 12 to 18 months Jamaica will have the new vibrant regulator that will manage the entire telecommunications and broadcasting environment, dealing with the issues of licensing, spectrum, universal service obligations, standards and of course, the most important issue of content,” he said.

Campbell said any government serious about the growth and development in communication must be prepared to take the necessary steps to promote, encourage and foster innovation and a framework that would allow the market, where possible, to respond to needs of consumers.