Minister for Communications and Works Honourable Mark H. Vanterpool assured CCT of their full support but made it clear they are staying out the legal side of things between CCT and TRC. Photo: VINO

Hon Vanterpool said that they have been encouraging the TRC to get on with the job of working out the spectrum for the three companies on Island, a process he is expecting to be complete before the end of this year 2014. Photo: VINO/File

Caribbean Cellular Telephone Ltd (CCT) introduced the public to its new look store on Friday May 16, 2014. This was part of a $10ml investment by the local company. Photo: VINO

According to Hon Vanterpool as a government they can only look at policies and how they can support the local company but in terms of the legal framework under which the company operates, Government will not interfere. Photo: VINO

This was said to this news site on Friday May 16, 2014 as CCT performed the ribbon cutting exercise declaring the remodeled store re-opened. Hon Vanterpool had taken part in that exercise after which he spoke with this news site.

“We stay away from the regulatory side of it but from the government standpoint our job is to support, as much as possible our local companies and CCT is one of those,” he said, noting also that they were integrally involved in assisting the company in attaining their pioneer status.

According to Hon Vanterpool as a government they can only look at policies and how they can support the local company but in terms of the legal framework under which the company operates, Government will not interfere.

“We are not going to interfere. That’s the legal framework that they operate under and so when the TRC makes its rules or regulations or they’re involved in lawsuits or whatever that is not our responsibility, that is not our business,” said Hon Vanterpool.

He hastened to note that the TRC has been appointed as a regulatory commission that is to be separate from the government. He compared the TRC to the Financial Service Commission (FSC) and other commissions.

“There are certain policies that we can do to support the local company, which we try to do from time to time but we make it very clear that we are not going to interfere with the TRC’s job. For example if they fine a company that is not our responsibility, they work within their legal confines,” he said.

The Communications and Works Minster said that while they want to support all the companies to ensure that they remain on the cutting edge of technology they want the local one, CCT, to know that they fully support them.

On the other hand Hon Vanterpool said that they have been encouraging the TRC to get on with the job of working out the spectrum for the three companies on Island. “…So that we can get the island up to speed in terms of broadband, LTE and so they are doing that,” Hon Vanterpool said.

He said that this process is taking much longer that they had anticipated, “But that’s the TRC’s job and they are doing it, we are not going to interfere in that.” According to Hon Vanterpool they have been given word that the TRC will have the pending system ‘sorted out’.

“They (TRC) have been in touch with the three companies and they expect that by, I understand that September is the period that the last time they met with me that they suggested that they were looking at getting it sorted out.” He added, “…and I believe that they will certainly by the end of the year we can get it all sorted out.”