OECS Ministers have taken a decision to prevent the return to a telecommunications monopoly following a proposed merger between Cable and Wireless Communications and Columbus Communications International.

OECS Telecommunications ministers have pledged to prevent any return to monopoly in the sub-region’s liberalized market, following a meeting during which ECTEL member states—Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Dominica, Grenada, and St. Kitts and Nevis—discussed the proposed merger between Cable and Wireless Communications and Columbus Communications International.

The situation revealed deficiencies in existing OECS telecommunications legislation and the ministers agreed to create a Competition Commission to deal with mergers in all sectors.

The ministers noted that the companies involved would have to apply for a new license to operate in a merged environment in any OECS territory. None had applied so far.

The OECS will now work with Trinidad & Tobago to undertake a complete regional assessment of the implications of the proposed C&W-Columbus merger.

Saint Lucia’s Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Hon. Dr. James Fletcher had previously advocated that consumer rights need to be protected.