SINT MAARTEN (PHILIPSBURG) – During Friday’s central committee meeting the Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunications (TEATT), the honorable Ludmilla de Weever, revealed that the Bureau Telecommunications and Post (BTP) is not responsible for the poor internet service being experienced on the island as the bureau is not mandated by law to carry out those services, United Sint Maarten Party (USP) Member of Parliament (MP) Claudius Buncamper said in a press statement from his faction office on Friday.
The USP parliamentary faction office statement continues on that: “This was very perturbing to MP Claudius Buncamper of the USP faction in parliament. This is an indication that since 10-10-10 there has been no institution responsible for internet services on the island. “To provide proper and dependable internet service to businesses and government is an extremely important element for economic sustainability, particularly for the banking industry” MP Buncamper said.
“Since 2016 the government has been dragging its feet on the report of the integrated infrastructure for the telecommunications network which provides many benefits for consumers and operators with basically no disadvantages” the MP continued, and wondered why was it shelved so long?
“The lifting of the moratorium on licenses was also queried by the MP. “It is incomprehensible that BTP has numerous doubtful debts on its books due to noncomplying license holders, and yet they are issuing new licenses.”
“MP Buncamper further stated that “We must protect and safeguard our own telecommunication company, Telem, taking into account the conditions under which they carry out their duties and their concessions, as is stipulated by law.”
“The MP questioned why the licenses of those not complying with the law have not been revoked and suggested that, with the assistance of BTP, legislations be prepared to allow BTP to take up the task of regulator for data protection, the Cyber emergency response team and the energy team.
“The MP also queried why the unused portion of data purchased for phones and other devices are not rolled over when additional date is purchased after the due date.
As it is now, the consumer loses the unused data. The MP enquired if it is BTP who allows this, as it is understood that the license holders pay a fee to BTP based on their number of active subscribers. “Where is the regulator’s consumer protection? Is the protection only for the license holders?” the MP asked.
“Many other questions, including questions regarding the exploitation of the BTP Building and other pending matters were posed to the minister of TEATT. The minister will be back in parliament in about three weeks to answer the questions posed by the various MP’s.”
