The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMAS Communications and Public Officers Union (BCPOU) President Bernard Evans yesterday said that his organisation is “vehemently” opposed to two of the three companies that are vying for the country’s second mobile network provider licence.

Mr Evans said the BCPOU will not throw its support behind television and Internet provider Cable Bahamas or regional telecommunications company Digicel.

However, he told The Tribune the union would research Virgin Mobile, the third company that wants to operate in The Bahamas.

Mr Evans added that the “cutting edge” character of Virgin Mobile’s founder Richard Branson impressed him. But he was quick to explain that this was not the union’s official statement of support.

“The government never officially had word with us,” Mr Evans said, “so we were kept abreast of everything that was happening with persons who were close to the process and they gave us updates. But there was never any direct communication with the union.

“I can’t come out and emphatically say who we are supporting, but I’ll say this. We definitely don’t support Digicel and we are not supporting Cable Bahamas.”

He said this position was based on the BCPOU’s view that Digicel does not respect the right of employees to join a union.

Concerning Cable Bahamas, Mr Evans said the union has been trying for 20 years to get the company to join them at the negotiating table over an industrial agreement for its employees.

“They (Digicel) do not respect basic fundamental rights and they will not allow workers to organise. That is our fundamental right. That is our challenge with Digicel. They just don’t like it and we will emphatically oppose them.

“As for Cable Bahamas . . .there is a revolving door at Cable. This union has been trying to get them to the table to negotiate for 20 years. They believe they can treat employees however they want to and it would be okay.

“We know the modus operandi of both companies and so we are vehemently opposing a licence to either of them.”

During the mid-year budget communication in the House of Assembly on Wednesday, Prime Minister Perry Christie revealed that the government is on target to announce the successful applicant for the country’s second mobile network provider licence in May.

He said the Cellular Liberalisation Task Force formed last April has drafted transaction documents to govern a partnership with the government. It would allow for a 49 per cent, 51 per cent ownership split.

The prime minister said the government has a requirement for the new cellular company to have “broad Bahamian ownership”.

“Mr Speaker, (this) is yet another testament of my government’s commitment to ensuring that all Bahamians benefit from the economic fruits of the country and not just a select and privileged few,” Mr Christie said on Wednesday.

“It is also the fulfilment of the promise made by my government in its Charter for Governance to empower Bahamians by expanding their role as investors in the Bahamian economy, including the telecommunications industry,” Mr Christie said.

Wednesday marked the deadline for companies to respond to the government’s request for proposals (RFP) process.