Denis O'Brien, chairman and founder of Digicel Group.

Digicel says it expects to clear the final hurdle in two weeks before it moves ahead on plans to build out its GSM network in Guyana, whose laws require the company to face the test of public opinion.

In the meantime, it has got the go-head to set up operations in Suriname.

The company announced in August that the Bharrat Jagdeo administration had approved a licence for the telecoms to set up operation in Guyana, a South American country with Caribbean ties, saying then that its issuance was subject to the public consulta-tion process required under the country's 1990 telecommunica-tions law.

"We expect the process to conclude by September 28," Maureen Rabbitt, head of corporate communications, said Monday in response to Wednesday Business queries.

The company has also spread its wings to the Pacific region, with the announced approval on the weekend of a licence to operate in Papua New Guinea, a 5.9 million population with just about one per cent cellular coverage.

Media reports said Digicel, owned by Irishman Denis O'Brien, was also to operate in Samoa and Fiji.

Rabbitt did not respond to queries about when Digicel will begin constructing its network in the Pacific region countries, nor the level of investments anticipated.

Caribbean-wide, however, the company has already invested US$1.2 billion in its 20 countries of operation, double the US$600 million of capital injections to 2004.

Rolling out services

Its planned investments in Guyana, which Rabbitt also did not comment on, and neighbouring Suriname, would add to the total.

"We are committed to rolling out services in Guyana and Suriname in the very near future," said Rabbitt. Generally, the company tends to have its roll-outs within a year of obtaining licences.

Up to June, Digicel had 2.6 million subscribers regionally, approximately half of whom were in Jamaica, where the company had its start in 2001 having bought one of three cellular licences the year prior for about US$47 million.

"We estimate our total average market share across our 20 Carib-bean markets is more than 50 per cent," said Rabbitt.

The company is still looking for opportunities within the Caribbean, but is also hunting markets in Central America, "whether they be through new licences or acquisi-tions that could further our growth," said the communications head.

The Irish Examiner also reported Monday that Digicel Group made profits of 190 million pounds to March 2006, though these might have been pre-tax earnings.

business@gleanerjm.com.