Dear Editor,

To the casual eye, the Gestapo-like raid carried out by the police on Friday, February 21, on the Eastwood Avenue premises of Caricel would be just another chapter in the long-standing dispute between the Government and that company.

However, as they say, there is far more than meets the eye.

There are whispers doing the rounds that the locally owned Caricel presents a problem to a foreign State, and that the spectrum it was using will go to a foreign-owned company.

Is it a case of foreigners pulling the strings of puppet Government?

Is it just coincidence that on the day of the raid it is alleged that the two major cable and Internet providers applied rate increases to their customers?

Media reports are that the raid was in response to alleged breaches of the Telecommunications Act by Caricel. This, however, has been strongly refuted by a lawyer representing the company. Expressing surprise at the snap raid, the lawyer pointed out that last year, when the Court of Appeal refused an application by Symbiote to stay the minister of science, energy and technology’s decision to revoke its telecommunications licences, it transferred its network assets to Xtrinet Limited, which has its own licences. What, then, could justify, as one newspaper called it the combat-style operation?

It has long appeared to us in the general public that the locally owned and operated Caricel, which provides a cheaper and, in most instances, more efficient service while employing scores of Jamaicans, is not being allowed to play on the same smooth surface as its competitors. While it is skilfully navigating this bumpy surface, additional obstacles are being placed in its path. The question to be asked therefore is to what end?

As the Romans say, cui bono?

Concerned customer

St Andrew