INDUSTRY COMMERCE and Technology Minister, Phillip Paulwell, has reported that the Government has realised over $300 million in new investments from the three telephone companies - Cable and Wireless Jamaica, Digicel and Centennial.
Minister Paulwell has expressed confidence that investments would double next year when the telecommunications landscape is fully liberalised.
He was addressing the 5th Anniversary Awards Banquet of the Office of Utilities Regulations (OUR) at the Mona Visitors' Lodge at the University of he West Indies recently.
Minister Paulwell told the gathering that regulatory changes are expected for the local telecommunications market by March 2003.
Looking ahead, he said his Ministry was desirous of seeing a number of agencies function cohesively, rather than independently, as telecommunications was fast becoming a multi-faceted media.
"We are going to see changes and already the agencies are in discussion. The OUR, the Broadcasting Commission and the Spectrum Management Authority are trying to bring forth a proposal that will look to a single regulator, because as the technologies are now converging where computing, telecom and broadcasting are all using the same vehicle for transmission, so too do we have to reflect on the regulatory system that we have in place," Minister Paulwell said.
Continuing, Mr. Paulwell stressed, "We believe that it would be appropriate to have a single body to regulate the telecom sector for the future and we're anticipating that the agencies will be able to provide for us those recommendations that will make the change as seamless as possible".
The Minister also said that in creating a level field for consumers, Cabinet would shortly receive a copy of the draft Consumer Bill after many years of delays. He said the Bill would seek to give the courts judicial scrutiny over unfair consumer contracts.
"It's a law seeking to consolidate all the consumer right provisions in existing laws. In fact, we are going to be incorporating new provisions," he explained.
He said that one such provision would be protection against unfair contracts to consumers.
