Last Updated on February 23, 2021, 6:16 AM AST by Anthony Morris
Basseterre: With the increasing use of technology among the population of St. Kitts and Nevis, Vincent Byron, Attorney General and Minister of Justice and Legal Affairs, said it was time to reform the Telecommunications Act 2020 to preserve the National Telecommunications Regulation Commission (NTRC) and protect consumers.
Attorney General Byron, during the Federal Parliament session on 18 February 2021, set out the scope of the reform and noted that the NTRC, established in 2020 under the previous law, would be preserved and strengthened as its powers were expanded under the Electronic Communications Bill, 2021.
“What we are saying, it is time to reform the existing legislative framework for telecommunications. The new Bill will preserve the NTRC. NTRC will make more sense, ‘said Minister Byron, adding that the NTRC will have a statutory body that will enable it to pursue lawsuits against telecommunications companies lawsuits to suspend license reach and regulate to protect the rights of consumers.
Minister Byron said that existing telecommunications service providers could too often harm customers and leave them dissatisfied. He said the electronic communications bill, 2021, is expected to protect the well-being of the consumer.
“Many of our public are dissatisfied with the services often provided by the service providers. The bill pays more attention to protecting consumers and getting redress from service providers,” he said.
Minister Byron further stated that competition and consumer choice in some member states are strong because companies ‘work together’ to monopolize the communications industry. Such actions infringe on the consumer’s right to choose and can, therefore, economically harm the country. He said that under this reformed bill, the telecommunications companies operating within the Federation would be prevented from engaging in such activities.
“The new bill provides for more structure, more negotiations and your jurisdiction to get involved and protect consumers,” he added.
The Electronic Communications Bill, 2021, which was successfully passed in the Federal Parliament on Thursday, February 18, 2021, will enable the government to fulfill its mandate to move the country to become a productive digital state.
Anthony Morris covers stories related to politics and regional developments. His in-depth reporting about governance and reforms makes him stand out in regional journalism, with a deep analysis of political trends and their impact on Caribbean communities.
