THE EDITOR, Sir:
AS THE Jamaican government peddles the illusion that society is in some way moving away from its Third World status citing such things as First World communications as justification. The fact is that basic First World communication requirements such as access to the Internet are way out of the reach of the vast majority of ordinary Jamaicans, and moving out of the reach of many first world visitors or expats trying to live on the island.
Cable & Wireless raises the price of an Internet call by 70 per cent without so much as an acknowledgement from central government, access to the Internet with an unlimited access account to the Internet with only 2 hours usage a day costs US$76 or J$3724 per month (J$62 per hour). US$1 for each extra hour.
(Cable & Wireless unlimited access Internet account and 'reduced' telephone rate).
This is seven times the cost in most US cities but in the US for this cost (US$10) you would get true 24-hour access.
With people waiting for years for even a telephone line in the centre of the so-called second city, the Internet is definitely a non-event in Jamaica for ordinary people, certainly in the spirit it enjoys in the first world.
I am etc.,
DAVID FISHER
fisherd@cwjamaica.com
