Dear Editor,

With reference to LIME’s release describing Digicel’s attack on its “historic rate cuts”, it is interesting that LIME has chosen to describe these rate cuts as “historic” when its own history as a telecoms company does not speak well to offering customers real “value”.

It took LIME all of 11 years since Digicel came in the market to actually come out with a “value” plan. Since day one, Digicel has been proactively pushing the rights of the customers. In light of this, I think the public should give this OUR/Digicel court case a closer examination.

Digicel is not actually fighting the rate cuts; it is fighting the Government’s invasion and attempt to control free enterprise. If the Government is allowed to set this precedent, then no industry is safe. We have already seen how the Government has brought the tourism and manufacturing sectors to their knees with prolific and exorbitant taxation packages, and now it is targeting the telecoms industry.

It is clear that the Government aims to milk all the most lucrative industries under the guise of benefiting taxpayers, but what it is really doing is depriving the people of Jamaica of their livelihoods.

Giving the OUR powers to set call rates is like giving the Government the power to tell every businessman and woman how much to charge for their goods and services. That is not acceptable under any free market system.

It is important for Jamaicans not to let the hype get to their heads, but use their power of reason to understand the real issues at hand here.

Kevin Maxwell

Hatfield, Mandeville

Kmackie900@hotmail.com