Acting Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investments and Aviation, the Hon. Chester Cooper spoke to mobile communications providers at a forum hosted by the Utilities Regulation & Competition Authority (URCA) held at the Margaritaville Resort.
During his remarks Cooper criticized local telecommunications companies, Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) and Aliv, for the service they provide. He said, “it is most embarrassing, ladies and gentlemen, to have calls dropped just as I get on my stride convincing a foreign direct investor, who happens to be a billionaire, invested many places in the world. Just after I talk about our stable democracy, just after I talk about our political stable environment, the beauty of our country, then I talk about the stable ICT infrastructure and the call drops. In our opinion this has gone on long enough. We must deliver on the service we promised. You must deliver on your commitments under the laws of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.”
The Acting Prime Minister added, “it is still difficult to comprehend that the government owns 49% plus of each of these companies yet we find ourselves with the issues that we face. So let me say on behalf of the government, let me say on behalf of the 400,000 public shareholders, let me say that we are unhappy shareholders.”
Chairman of URCA, Randol Dorsett was also in attendance. He told those assembled, “we live in an era where connectivity is the life blood of progress and nation’s that harness the power of ICTs are surging ahead.”
