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Local resident praises Hon. Fraser for Communications Liberalisation efforts

- Says where there is no vision the people perish
Kishmet Daniel has praised Third District Rep Julian Fraser RA for his involvement in liberalising the telecommunications sector in the VI and has criticised CCT for not providing more assistance to its customers following the network's service resumption after experiencing a disruption for several days. Photo:VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – Local teacher and craft maker Kishmet B. Daniel has praised the vision of Third District Representative and former Minister for Communications and Works Hon. Julian Fraser RA in the wake of the recent network 'disruption' experienced by CCT Global Communications mobile phone customers.

“I would like to thank [him] for liberalising telecommunications, because if it wasn’t liberalised, what would we have done today with one phone company here in the [Virgin Islands]?” Mrs Daniel asked.

Hon. Fraser had been widely credited with helping to break a previously existing monopoly in the mobile phone market of the Territory after being appointed as Minister for Communications of Works in the general elections of 2007.

Hon. Fraser had also acquired the moniker of ‘the Liberator’ as a result of this.

According to Kishmet Daniel, many persons would not have been able to make calls and would have had a bad New Year as a result of the frustrations being experienced in connecting to the CCT network by local customers.

Mrs Daniel further related that she had tried unsuccessfully to reach out to other persons who were on the CCT mobile phone network before an intervention was made to stem the tide of technical difficulties experienced by the network.

She was critical that there were allegedly no representatives available by CCT or detailed instructions publicised to assist subscribers on how to have their devices configured correctly to access the network once the issues had been addressed.

According to Mrs Daniel, persons within the community who were more technologically proficient had to show others how to get their phones switched over correctly in order to access the other carriers’ networks.

She said there were elders and other persons within the community who didn’t understand what to do and suggested that tents set up by representatives of the companies might have been helpful in this regard. “Some of those people don’t use their phone for internet… they just use their phone to dial a number and that’s it.”

“Even though Digicel and Lime stepped in to help”, she said, “they were not helped... It had to take people in the community to help them.”

CCT had stated in a press release that customers needed to “turn off and on [their] CCT phone” in order to “initiate emergency voice services”.

The release sent by CCT also expressed that “interim emergency arrangements have been put in place with local carriers to restore CCT’s GSM voice and text services to our customers”.

“Where there is no vision the people perish”, Daniel said before adding, “Who else could have liberalised telecommunications and liberate the people other than Hon. Julian Fraser the Liberator?”

18 Responses to “Local resident praises Hon. Fraser for Communications Liberalisation efforts ”

  • OJ (02/01/2013, 08:31) Like (8) Dislike (22) Reply
    girl Kismet i agree wid you 100% that is why the man should be we next Premier
  • Lb (02/01/2013, 09:07) Like (10) Dislike (5) Reply
    This is a cell phone issue not a telecommunication issue. Telecommunications involve way more than just cell phones. And this began with the late Paul Wattley and even before this. Not Frazer! He was the benefit of a process started long before he got in and completed while he was out!
    • Bvi man (02/01/2013, 11:13) Like (7) Dislike (23) Reply
      Thanks LB. You can't make this stuff up, people really funny. It's like saying Kedrick should take all credit if the airport thing turns out positive. NO! Fraser and those before him started the process, he's just continuing where it was left off. no different to telecoms. where is our liberalisation from cable? from poor internet? poor service across the board? nothing there. Vision what? schuups..lol
    • farmer brown (02/01/2013, 11:49) Like (6) Dislike (6) Reply
      look how some of you NDP fools like to rewrtie history give the man his jacket he saved the bvi once more yall
  • Bvi man (02/01/2013, 09:32) Like (13) Dislike (38) Reply
    Hmmm interesting.

    So let's see, since Liberalisation, the BVI has had:

    1. The most expensive internet, landline and mobile services in the Caribbean and probably the WORLD (per capita).

    2. The lousiest internet, landline and mobile services in the Caribbean and probably the WORLD (per capita).

    3. The most outdated, expensive and lousiest Cable TV service in the WORLD perhaps.

    4. The most unreliable internet/communications infrastructure especially for a Financial Services Mecca as we usually refer to ourselves.

    People need to have at least two internet providers and some people even have 3 cell phones to ensure proper service and value for money (so they think at least) in BVI. And we are proud of this? LMAO! Okay, let me join the bandwagon. Thanks Fraser!
  • Buchwick Bill (02/01/2013, 10:20) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply

    AMEN to BVI man! As for the sheep heralding the "Liberator" above outlines the significant issues with telecomms in the BVI. This also plays into why Russel's idea of a new 3rd economic pillar (Tech) is so damn far fetched that he makes himself look like Bozo the clown (not name calling but making reference). Thanks Liberator!

    • Peng (03/01/2013, 08:58) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply

      Buswacker Bill....We certainly came make tech work in the BVI.....Its no longer about hardware ist accessibility and bandwidth! that was what Russell was referring to.......does anyone every use a computer without having access to the NET????? thats what you need to ask yourself.....are you aware that BVI last year has a series of access points available, yep right here in the BVI that we can actually sell domain names???? guess u didnt know...that and a lot more...we poised to take advantage of this C n W knows and has access however they are finding ways of slowing the process down to make as much money as they can on poor service....they ultimately have all the access to these services....

  • sick people (02/01/2013, 13:55) Like (6) Dislike (4) Reply
    What happened to CCT could easily happen to any cell company
    and has nothing to do with nothing else.

    Other people are reading and learning how ignorant our people
    is in this little country.
    • da ting! (02/01/2013, 20:53) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Other people are reading and learning how ignorant our people
      is in this little country. U talkin to me home bowy, must have read my mind!!!

      aint she the one who say the cotton picking days r over.....the cotton picking free double top up days are OVER!!!!
    • AL (03/01/2013, 01:36) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
      OJ was the unsuccessful NDP candidate...you all need to give it up...Fraser is the man
  • Real Talk (02/01/2013, 15:15) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    BREAKING NEWS! Member of Fraser's 3rd District Committee endorses Mr. Fraser. In other news, "The cow jumped over the moon!"..SMH!! Really? LMFAO!!!!
  • zoe (02/01/2013, 18:18) Like (1) Dislike (8) Reply
    All the blogs will not change the fact that fraser liberated telcom he is the man for this country!!!!
    • talk girl talk (02/01/2013, 21:28) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      seek out and pass what you know to persons residing outside of the country...
  • Chris (02/01/2013, 19:07) Like (5) Dislike (17) Reply
    I wouldn't put frazer in to save myself he will not be our next minister
  • NYC (03/01/2013, 15:51) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Ummmm..urrrrrr..ahem...You have to be on the money on this one Ms. Daniels
  • -------------- (04/01/2013, 23:30) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    this BVI owns a death of gratitude for Fraser's wisdom and that is a fact


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