Decolonizing The Mind: Challenging Anthony Astaphan
Kwame Nkosi Romeo
Decolonizing The Mind:
From the book 'Decolonizing the mind' by Professor Ngugi Wa Thiong, world celebrated Kenyan writer relate the cultural bomb of imperialism.
'The effect of a cultural bomb is to annihilate a peoples belief in their names, in their language,in their environment,in their heritage of struggle,in their unity, in their capacity and ultimately in themselves'
Why be so hostile about familiar issues of national interest, if your philosophy of empowerment creates ownership and benefits people?
As the empowered defense council for private interest, you publicize race as a smokescreen, when indigenous people assert their sovereign right against the 'Hogzillas' of privatization.
Are we not capable to critically analyze circumstances, and pass impartial judgment on Minister of Information and Technology Dr. Edward Mansoor's duplicity.
Dr. Edward Mansoor's Treachery:
Early in December 2006, Dr. Edward Mansoor sanctioned Southern Caribbean Fiber (SCF) to utilize Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA) ducts for fiber optics installation, and approving access to Digicel and ACT free of cost.
Both companies were not obligated to pay the 52 cents on the dollar as Cable & Wireless was committed to, and that was treacherous.
Power appears to be exclusive in Antigua and Barbuda, and government was not elected to abuse that authority of public trust.
Furthermore the public interest was not protected by any contractual agreement between Digicel, ACT adn APUA.
And since an agreement was not secured, Chariman of APUA Board of Commissioners Clarvis Joseph disapproved Dr. Mansoor's plan to connect the cable for Digicel and ACT.
Afterwards, Dr. Mansoor informed the Board's Chairman, government had signed off on the installation of the service for Digicel and ACT to be completed by December 31, 2006.
Although Joseph was criticized for blocking the deal, Joseph maintains that the interest of APUA and by extension the people of Antigua and Barbuda were not duly served.
The liberalization of Antigua APUA is presently stalled, but Dr. Mansoor's priority is the same : ensure the Antigua Telecommunications Act is passed and finalizing the liberal;ization process.
Astaphan Question:
The relevant statistics of liberalization have indicated that liberalization is not about indigenous ownership, but foreign empowerment and public servitude.
I will answer all of your questions on this good evening, but in the future submit your battery of irrelevant 'smoke factory' questions to your alliance partners.
1-The World Bank US$6 million was the genesis of OECS liberalization.
2-The United States Federal Communication Commission (FCC) vexatious issue was US$5.7 billion paid to Public Telecommunication Operators (PTO) in developing countries, and since the payments double from 1990.
So liberalization of OECS telecommunications was the principal plan in lowering the amount.
Consequently the brute force and economic muscle of trade liberalization enforced by International Monetary Fund (IMF), The World Bank (WB), along with complicity of 'humble servants' finalized the liberalization project on April 7, 2001.
Several years later, the lowering of mobile termination rate by the FCC is now imminent!
According to the FCC report released on March 3, 2004 The Commissioner declared concern about increasing cost of mobile termination rates being charged to U.S. customers and stressed the rates: "{Are} not consistent with our general accounting rate principle"
Furthermore the FCC dictates that 'market power' should not be exercised by foreign PTO : "In their pricing of termination services on foreign mobile network, thus eroding the benefits of lower international termination rates to U.S. customers"
At the same time the Commissioner encourages market forces on US-International routes "{Where} the risk of foreign market power abuse is low the Commission has made efforts to remove uncessary regulations to further encourage the developing of market forces on those routes"
The World Bank and FCC objective was to liberalize the market of the primary PTO, lower the rates, and eventually control the market power and revenue.
Caribbean governments and their associates foolishly went along to view the execution; and failed to see the liberalization of OECS telecommunication benefited US Transnational!
3-The FCC objected on the basis that payments to developing countries were 'above costs', but its primary target was the liberalization of OECS telecommunications and that was fulfilled.
4-It was already established by the FCC the settlement rates were 'above costs' but was it exploitative?
I will educate you about exploitation and the masses suffering in a few countries from privatization and
subsidies!
a-Water privitization as in the case of Bolivia resulted in excessive price to people living in abject poverty, and that is exploitative:
"{Hikes) with connection charges for water and sewerage being raised US$371 in a country where the minimum wage is just US$50 per month"
More than 200,000 were left "with no possibility of access to water" And the UN estimates that 2.7 billion people will face water scarcity by 2025.
b-Dominican Republic privatized its electricity company, prices increased by 51%, Consequently the government attempted to absorb 42% of the price increase so as to pass on 9% of the price to the consumer, the government was pused further into debt.
What astomonical cost would Antigua and Barbuda consumers have to pay after liberalization?
c- The blatant disregard in the gambling war: Antigua vs U.S.A. , and the U.S.A. offering to pay an insulting US$500,000 in compensation to settle a trade dispute won by Antigua.
Should Antigua be satisfied with a moral victory? No! Not when U.S. hypocrisy several years earlier was obvious. In September 1994, Chiquita Brands- a U.S. marketing company filed a petition against the EU banana regime.
Subsequently the US imposed a 100% tariff on $192 million worth of EU imports (non agricultural products) for the US- EU banana dispute that WTO rules EUs banana regime was inconsistent.
The US won and now rejects Antigua and Barbuda gambling victory, a miscarriage of justice in the money war!
d-In a case brought by Brazil, a WTO dispute panel found in 2004 that $3.2 billion in annual cotton subsidies and $1.6 billion in export credits paid by the U.S.A. in cotton, and other commodities went against International trade rule.
If EU and US subsidies were removed developing countries net agriculture trade would increase from $20 billion to more than $60 billion.
1 million children in West Africa would not have to go to bed hungry
Enable 2 million to get a basic exploitation
And according to Professor Dan Summer who was one of Oxfam study author, eliminating cotton subsidy would increase poor African families income by up to 6% and global prices between 6 & 14 %
e- NAFTA - the average wage paid to Mexico's manufacturing workers declined from $5 per day (not a living wage) to $4
5- There was no resistance from the OECS Governments; and that was answered in No.10 2nd paragraph: "But the FCC was determined to unilaterally reduce the settlement rate regardless of whether a monopoly or liberalization existed"
But there was complicit support and not one ounce of resistance. Is Mockumay politics you were playing?
6-You continuously identify the Marpin Judgment as the biggest of liberalization case in the OECS, but a contrary opinion exist in this case study:
"Telecommunication Industry in Caricom: Case Study Jamaica and Dominica" by Nicole Foga and Delreo Newman
"{Dominica's} confrontational approach does not offer a model of liberalization as not only is it contentious, but it offers no solution once the legal battle is over. There is no interconnection agreement, no modern legislation, and no competition authority"
So, I suggest you debate that issue online with Antigua and Barbuda ICT Consultant Delreo Newman.
7-Since when the need for economic diversification became so urgent. Was it because you were leading the World Bank agenda for the liberalization of OECS telecommunication. But failed to use your intellectual energy to defend the plight of small small farmers in the Caribbean.
The banana industry supplies 20% of EU imports and is important to Caribbean economies. Caribbean countries account for 3% of world banana trade.According to Winfan the 'race to the bottom' is evident with as much as 15,000 small-scale farmers marginalized.
Do you only support private monied interest! Where is your social good?
After the World Bank funding, did telecommunications liberalization significantly benefit the GDP? Is the banana industry not as important to the policy makers and defense council?
8_The idea was formerly a World Bank policy from the 1980s as established in this article: "Implication of the liberalization of telecommunication" December 2002:
"The need for liberalization in the telecommunication sector in the Caribbean assumed significance under the structural adjustment and economic liberalization programmes supported by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other International Financial Institutions (IFIs) as early as the latter 1980s"
9- Cultural truth is where salvation resides
10-Liberalization is inequitable and unjust!
11-The figures are real, and as a legal luminary representing OECS interest I expect you to do your research...be prepared.
If you have no evidence to support your statement:"That figures appears exagerrated" I suggest your drop that illegal defense!
12- The FCC critical concern excluded developing countries interest. While the US safeguarded their policy toward rate rebalancing, it was implemented in the Caribbean and other developing countries.
According to a report: "Rate Rebalancing Policy Institutional Factors Favoring Reform In The European Union Over The US" by Barbara A Cherry:
"[The] US has been more resistant than the EU in adopting a federal policy that permits rate rebalancing"
Although differences exist, there is an affordable emphasis in the EU:
"[Permits] the Memmber States to establish a national universal service to assure affordable rates, if desired"
13-After OECS phased liberalization international rates declined, but domestic rates increased.
Did you not know that! Whose interest were you representing, and where are your files?
According to the Fair Trading Commission Of Barbados: "In the Organization of East Caribbean States (OECS),the rebalancing exercise, which is a continuing phased process, has resulted in a decline in international rates and some increase in domestic rates from March 2003"
14- Whatever impact it did have will be known. What about the lives it affected, and was an economic impact assessment ever done?
15-That was addressed in my previous article: 'The Impact of Trade Liberalization and Educating the Neo Liberal:
"Telecommunication users in the region realize a collective net saving of $EC54 million (US$20,224,719) The Ectel Report 2006 pg 11
From the introduction of 1997 US FCC Benchmark Policy, the objective of saving billions was realized:
"Commission Staff estimates US consumers saving of up to $38 billion due to the decline in settlement rates from 1997-2002"
What did the National Treasury of any OECS country benefit! And was there indigenous ownership after liberalization?
16- Why should economic threat be used. APUA is State-Owned and with good governance APUA will eventually be developed to be a global service provider of telecommunication.
17- Jobs, jobs, jobs but show me indigenous ownership after liberalization.
18- APUA should not be liberalized! The promotion of APUA to be liberalized is the policy of The IMF and WB , promoting a volatile cocktail of insecurity, underdevelopment and fiscal bondage. According to a report: "Privatization and Poverty: The Distributional Impact of Utility Privatization":
"Sales to foreign rather domestic investors will also generate international equity considerations"
Does Antigua and Barbuda need "international equity consideration" Why should we liberalize what we own?
We own it and the Antigua and Barbuda government want to give it away! Only a government that lacks vision will do that.
Where Is The Foresight:
Even after independence the symbol of colonial power still presides as the absolute ruler in many Caribbean countries. And foreign interest that towers over the communities everyday existence from beach front hotels to the yachting sector is out of our hands; and as the selling of our patrimony continues governments are signing way the future.
From telecommunication to hotel everything is for sale, probably the government is already liberalized, and that cannot be disputed.
As we communicate about telecommunications in the Caribbean, there are many questions.
Should Cable and Wireless be condemned for telecommunication monopolization in the Caribbean? No! Caribbean governments are blameworthy for selling public assets.
Many sold their interest to Cable and Wirless with the exception of Antigua that has remained State-Owned.
Strategic Alliance:
APUAs cooperation and strategic alliance with Cable & Wireless was essential for telecommunication advancement. Also Cable & Wireless played a major sponsorship role for cicket in the Caribbean; Antigua and Barbuda's digital access which is as high as Barbados and the country's financial stability.
Caricom Fibre Optics:
But where did Caribbean governments fail, particularly the Antigua government?
If the necessary impact assessment was done much earlier probably APUA would be independent of Cable & Wireless. Therefore it is imperative for Antigua and Barbuda government, and collective with Caricom support explore the possibilities and investment of undersea fiber optics technology.
Caribbean government must make that investment to guarantee a major share of the telecommunication revenue.
Presently, African countries pay Europe PTO as much AS US$400 million for calls routed through Europe.
According to a paper evaluating fiber optics and the infrastructural cost: "Developing a Fiber Optic Backbone For Africa" by Jabulani Dhi;iwayo:
"[The] fact that 90% of call from African countries to other African countries are routed through Europe at a cost of $400 million a year and the fact that current percentage population penetration in Internet usage is only 1.1%"
Telecom Independence:
There is no doubt that the Caribbean possess some of the best ICT consultants, and along with international assistance a framework towards telecommunications independence will lead to economic independence.
The Caribbean collectivism was demonstrated during the hosting of World Cup Cricket, and it was a big investment with minimal turnover.
But the turnover from fiber optics investment and management of that sector will boost economic development.
Expenditure For World Cup Cricket:
Looking back at World Cup Cricket regional governments expenditure was more than US$180 million for the eight (8) new stadia. The total cost was in excess of US$250 million inclusive of capital support from China and India.
If that can be accomplished why not undertake a major fiber optic funding for the Caribbean.Telecommunications is a major dollar earner that can eventually fund social development and ensure a level of financial stability.
For Antigua to become a major force in global telecommunication ,the investment and development of APUAs own undersea fibre optics must be fulfilled to ensure future stability and economic idependence.
It was done for cricket so why not technology?
Kwame Nkosi Romeo
aka Bombshell