Following disruptions in voice and data services on Thursday, the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) voiced concerns and issued a press release which has led to the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) stating that it is being victimized and threatened by the PUC.
The PUC, in its release issued on Friday, said it had received reports concerning significant disruptions to voice traffic, local and international, while data transmissions were completely disrupted on Thursday. The commission said it had on record five disruptions between February 5 and June 11 this year while in 2008, there were nine disruptions between February 28 and November 25. The PUC said these occurrences had caused disruptions to businesses in the commercial sector, possible financial losses to companies and may have serious implications for Guyana’s national security. The PUC said that repeated interruptions to GT&T’s service may leave the commission with no other option but to recommend to the licensing authority that other providers be issued with international licenses to allow for international connectivity.
GT&T, in a subsequent release, asked whether the PUC is hindering its commitment to build its submarine fibre optic cable to land in Guyana, a project which it has undertaken at its own expense and which it believes is crucial to this country’s future. It added that the PUC licensing threat is curious as the PUC has no authority to issue an international licence.
As regards Thursday’s disruption, the release stated that there was a cut in the Americas-II cable in neighbouring Suriname which occurred during road construction in that country and which was repaired in four hours. The company stated that no voice communications were interrupted since it has sufficient satellite back-up capacity and full data connectivity was preserved for subscribers whose services included a redundancy feature. In addition, the release stated that there were no national security issues raised on Thursday. The company stated that it has other concerns about the PUC’s public intervention in the issue which it says will be raised in another forum.
GT&T stated that there were interruptions in its services in Regions Seven, Eight and Ten as a result of sabotage in which persons unknown used a chainsaw to fell one of the company’s riser poles near Loo Creek on the Linden-Soesdyke Highway which carries the southern link fibre optic cable.
In addition, GT&T noted that there has been a series of electrical outages and asked why the PUC has not issued press releases to this effect expressing outrage or threats about giving licences to new electrical companies.
