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Volume No. 1 Issue No. 47 - Monday September 01, 2003 |
The Local News in Brief from The Dominican.net News Desk
Roseau, September 01 26, 2003
Cable & Wireless and AT&T Reach Agreement on Interconnectivity
Cable & Wireless and AT&T both appeared to be backing down from accusations made earlier when they announced that the National Regulatory Commission in Dominica would determine the interconnectivity issue. Late last week, at a news conference in Roseau, general manager of Cable and Wireless Ian Blanchard denied allegations by telecommunications giant AT&T that it was deliberately delaying interconnectivity of the two wireless services. Mr. Blanchard called the allegations baseless and said that his company was being falsely accused.
According to Mr. Blanchard, his company had ordered the necessary equipment and could not move forward with interconnectivity until the equipment was received in Dominica. Following the news conference, an AT&T company spokesman reiterated the charges and said that the Cable & Wireless behavior was no different from what it has exhibited in other Caribbean islands. The official added that his company was expecting to complete the agreement since February of this year.
Roseau, August 22, 2003
OAS Hosts Sub-Regional Consultation on Geothermal Energy
The Organization of American States (OAS) is hosting a one-day sub-regional consultation on geothermal energy at the Fort Young Hotel in Roseau today. Dominica will be joined by participants from St Kitts/Nevis and St Lucia.
Discussions will focus on an offer from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to finance feasibilities studies and provide co-financing of exploratory drilling activities in the three countries.
The government of Dominica is considering applications from two companies seeking the rights to develop geothermal energy on the island. See More . One company is the Dominica Sustainable Energy Corporation (DSEC), which is owned and managed by a grouping of local and Diaspora Dominicans and the other is UNEC, headquartered in Canada.
Minister of Communications Reginald Austrie recently announced that the OAS was given the task of deciding which of the two companies would be allowed to pursue development of Dominica� s vast geothermal potential.
Roseau, August 22, 2003
AT&T Accuses Cable and Wireless of Feet Dragging on Interconnectivity
Telecommunications giant AT&T, which was recently granted a license to deliver wireless services to Dominica have accused Cable and Wireless of feet dragging in the delivery of interconnection services. Communications minister Reginald Austrie has been asked to intervene, but Cable & Wireless have so far refused to make any public comments on the mater.
The charge made by AT&T is similar to charges leveled by MARPIN CABLE over a year ago, when it was granted a license to offer local and international telephone services to Dominica. At the time, it took several months and a huge public outcry before Cable and Wireless granted interconnectivity to MARPIN CABLE.
Without interconnectivity, a Cable and Wireless subscriber would be unable to communicate with a MARPIN subscriber. Similarly, if Cable and Wireless does not grant interconnectivity to AT&T, wireless subscribers of the two companies would be unable to talk to each other.
Dominicans are hoping that the competition will be just as positive for them as it was in the case of the involvement of MARPIN CABLE in offering telephone services. Consumers have seen an average call to the United States plummet from about EC$ 2.00 (US$0.74) per minute to EC $0.53 (US$0.17), in just a few months.
There have also been controversy surrounding government�s granting of a license to AT&T after having denied the local company MARPIN CABLE the right to offer wireless services.
August 15, 2003 Roseau Dominica
Planning for World Creole Music Intensifies
Planning for this years World Creole Music Festival Intensified recently with the presentation of a check of $EC 100 000 to the planning committee by the Dominica Lotteries Commission.
Chairman of the organizing committee Jeffery Brisbane thanked the commission for their support and said plans were progressing well for the hosting of the biggest ever celebration of creole and zouk music in Dominica.
The festival is in its fifth year and will run from October 31 to November 2, 2003. The staging of this year�s is expected to be the most spectacular to date as it will form an integral part of this year�s twenty-fifth year of independence celebrations. Thousands of visitors and returning Dominicans are expected to come from around the world to witness what is quickly becoming the one of the biggest music festivals anywhere in the world. Several of the world�s leading zouk and creole bands are expected to participate.
See More
August 15, 2003 Roseau Dominica
PM Charles Back Home After Successful Surgery in Atlanta
Dominica's Prime Minister Pierre Charles returned home recently and was said to be recovering nicely after undergoing successful heart surgery in Atlanta last week to reduce the risk of the narrowing of his heart arteries. The intra-coronary radiation procedure took place at the Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta, United States.
In a news release today from the government press office in Dominica, the government said Charles had a successful repeat of coronary angioplasty surgery, which was performed in Trinidad in February. At that time Charles was attending the CARICOM Heads of Government Meeting in Port of Spain when he stared complaining of chest pains.
Dr. Spencer B. King III, a cardiologist, who treated the Prime Minister in Atlanta said Charles had the latest therapy to reduce the chance of the symptoms once again reappearing. He expressed confidence that the Prime Minister will make a full recovery.
August 15, 2003 Roseau Dominica
Parliament to Decide on DOMLEC's Electricity Rate Hike
The Government of Dominica have indicated its intention to take the matter of DOMLEC's electricity hike to parliament. They hope to introduce legislation that will force the company to refrain from imposing a recently announced 17 percent increase in rates on consumers. Already, the opposition United Workers Party (UWP) have expressed their opposition with government's proposed action.
,br> Last week, the lone electricity company on the island DOMLEC has raised electricity rates by 17 per cent this month. Company spokesman Nathaniel George indicated that his company was left with no choice after government withdrew duty free concessions and imposed a 3 per cent tax on utility bills. He was of the view that the consumer will have to bear the full brunt of the tax increases.
Meanwhile Dominicans took to the airwaves to denounce the action of the company and government spokesman Anthony Asthaphan was quoted as saying that the company should absorb some of the cost. Consumers against High Utility Rates (CAHUR), a public pressure group have threatened protest action. Government has also hinted that it may take the matter to court.
Electricity rates in Dominica are already the highest in the Caribbean region, and this increase could only add to the hardships facing the Dominican populace as they brace for harsher measures under the government�s austerity program.
Pressure is building on communications minister Austrie to move quickly to award contracts for the development of geothermal energy on the island, which should go a long way in reducing the costs of electricity generation on the island.
August 7, 2003 Roseau, Dominica Universal Education by 2005
Dominica is moving rapidly towards creating universal education for its children by the year 2005 according to education ministry officials. Over the recent past, high schools have been built in the Grand Bay and Castlebruce areas thus opening new opportunities for hundreds of rural students. There is however some concern that too much emphasis is been placed on formal education while the less academically inclined is not given the same opportunities through the building of technical schools for instance.
Read more of the EARLIER NEWS IN Brief
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