160R/07

Contact:      Aisha F. Hill
Telephone:   468-3701 ext. 3058                                
E-mail:             [email protected]

CLAIM FILED UNDER CLAUSE 93 OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS ACT
Tuesday, May 1 –   The Minister of Communications and Works Honourable Elmore Stoutt today confirmed that he received a claim for compensation from CCT Global Communications in accordance with clause 93 (1) of the Telecommunications Act, 2006.

Clause 93 (1) states, “Where prior to the coming into force of this Act, a person who was licensed under the Telecommunications Act to provide a public telecommunications network or public telecommunications service loses any existing right pursuant to such licence and such loss results in any pecuniary or other quantifiable disadvantage, the person shall be entitled to seek compensation for such loss.”

The Minister is now in consultation with the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission in accordance with clause 93 (3) of the Act.

Government recently announced approval of a telecommunications liberalisation policy setting out the number of operators allowed in the market and restricting the market to the three existing operators for three years.

The overall objective of the liberalisation policy is to create the conditions for a fully effective and successful telecommunications sector in the BVI, delivering excellent value for money to users and maximising the contribution of the sector to the economy.

The Legislative Council passed the Telecommunications Act which provides for the restructuring of the telecommunications industry in the British Virgin Islands on June 2, 2006. It was assented to by the Governor on June 13, 2006, and proclaimed on October 24, 2006.

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Notes to Editors:

93 (3):
Where the Minister receives a written submission under subsection (2) and, after consultation with the Commission, forms the opinion that there may be merit in the submission, he shall enter into negotiation with the person concerned with a view to reaching an agreement with respect to the submission and for that purpose the Minister may utilise the services of such other persons and on such terms and conditions as he may deem necessary.