By GENEA NOEL/ Freeport News
Now that the Communications Bill 2009 has been passed, MP for High Rock and Minister of Housing Kenneth Russell said that isolated communities in Grand Bahama and all over The Bahamas with 10 or more houses will be brought up to speed with basic technology.
In a recent interview with The Freeport News, Russell said places like Sweeting's Cay, Water Cay and possibly McLean's Town may have telephone, Internet and cable services as early as October.
He explained that there are clauses in the Bill which require the Bahamas Telecommunications Company Limited (BTC) and Cable Bahamas to provide these services if there are 10 or more houses in the area. In the past, he said, this was not the case.
"If you live in a community with 10 houses, BTC has to install the telephone system and Internet system. Cable Bahamas has to bring in the Internet system and television system, which gives the people a choice," he said.
"In instances where the company might say that it is too expensive for them to put in the infrastructure because they are fearful that they are not going to make their money back, well now once enough houses are in the area they have to."
Russell said that Cable Bahamas would now have to provide basic cable, which is described as the ZNS TV 13 channel, the parliamentary channel, an international news channel, a children's activity and movie channel and the second television station in The Bahamas.
The six stations, he said, must all be free of charge and infrastructure has to be put in place where companies are able to rebroadcast waves ensuring that persons are able to watch television.
Russell said that BTC has already moved to put residential lines in Water Cay after the Bill was passed, but it would be a different process for Cable Bahamas.
"Cable Bahamas would have a different situation because they have a monopoly until October of this year," Russell explained. "Once that agreement runs out, if Cable Bahamas has not started to put in their systems, the weight of the law will come down and push them to ensure that the law is complied with by Cable Bahamas and BTC."
The Communications Bill, which was passed in May of this year, is comprised of The Electronic Communications Bill, The Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority Bill (URCA), The Utilities Appeal Tribunal Bill and the privatization of the Bahamas Telecommunications Company Ltd. that are together expected to help transform the face of telecommunications in the country.
