Sabotage could deter future investments

–if it continues on GTT telecommunication infrastructure, says U.S. Ambassador

CONTINUED attacks on Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company’s (GTT) telecommunication infrastructure could have serious implications for investments in the future, US Ambassador, Perry Holloway said.
Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle in an exclusive interview at the US Embassy on Thursday, the diplomat weighed in on the matter which has been gaining national attention.
GTT’s fibre-optic cable was sabotaged four times in 10 days, affecting over 20,000 customers and putting the country’s residents, national security and emergency mechanism at risk.
The last attack was executed on Tuesday night on the Linden/Soesdyke Highway.
On each of the recent occasions, cell, landline and Internet services to the natural resources economic hub of Linden, Ituni, Kwakwani, Mabura, Mahdia, Troy Mining and Bartica communities were affected.

Ambassador Holloway said it is not just an attack on the US-owned company but an act of crime committed against the people of Guyana.
He said the four most recent acts of sabotage would not deter any investor from coming to Guyana, but over time if such acts continue, they could have a negative impact on the country.
“Other potential investors, whether it will be from the US or anywhere else, will say wait a minute, I don’t want to go and built my network or build my factory or build something, if all of a sudden someone is going to be destroying my investment. I am not saying, that right now it is a deter on investment but if things like this continue it could certainly have an impact on it,” Ambassador Holloway explained.

WELL INFORMED
The US diplomat met with GTT’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Justin Nedd, recently to get a greater understanding of the situation. Based on their discussions, Ambassador Holloway said it is clear that the acts of sabotage are committed by well-informed people.
“It is clearly not the work of a disgruntled customer who was unhappy with the speed of their Internet or their landline not being fixed, which I am sure there are plenty such customers out there, but… they picked the places that would cause the most damage. You had to have a certain amount of technical ability to be able to do it,” he explained.
It was pointed out that the perpetrators had returned to a location where GTT had already executed repairs following an attack. At that location on the Linden/Soesdyke Highway, the telecommunication provider had installed a steel pipe to safeguard the fibre-optic cable but that was also damaged.
“They went back and did that again. That would have required special tools, special equipment and special knowledge, so it is an issue that should be of concern to everyone,” the Ambassador emphasised.
He noted too that it is clearly not a case of someone trying to steal the fibre-optic cable because once broken, it is of no use. GTT, he said, is currently looking at a number of ways to make their cable safer.
The US Ambassador said the acts of sabotage come at a time when the country is making critical steps to improve its telecommunication market and foster growth within its ICT sector.

He pointed out too that when the fibre-optic cable was damaged, connectivity was lost to Linden and other communities within Region 10.
The damages done had also affected a mining company which is heavily dependent on the services provided by GTT.
“I think everyone would agree that no matter which side of the political spectrum you speak, better Internet, better telecommunications for Guyana is a thing that would promote growth, promote jobs, promote inclusivity, promote democracy, so this is actually an attack literally on basic democracy,” the US Ambassador stated.

MEETING
Due to the seriousness and the magnitude of the issue, a team from the US Embassy will be meeting with the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to offer its assistance with the hope of catching those responsible.

“We will also be meeting with the police just to express our concern and also offer our assistance in any way we can to help find the perpetrators.”
The ambassador noted it is difficult to catch the people who commit these types of crimes but said with the help of public-spirited persons, the perpetrators can be brought to justice.
On Wednesday, Nedd said while the GPF has been very helpful in the past and is currently investigating the matter, the company needs the public’s assistance.
“Unfortunately, the rate of success is highly dependent on our citizens, our people, our Guyanese to really bring forward information and that has not been as forthcoming as we would like,” the CEO said.
As such, he is calling on persons living in Guyana to assist GTT and the GPF in finding the rogue elements whose agenda it is to stymie the development of the ICT sector.
Reports can be made to GTT’s hotline 0908.

BE VIGILANT
“I want to ask each and every person to be sheriffs and look out for these rogue elements that would want to hold our nation back. We would offer a very handsome reward to anyone who would help us bring these culprits to justice,” Nedd stated. A reward of $1M is being offered for information leading to the arrest of the perpetrator(s).
It was made clear by Nedd that despite the attacks on the company, it will continue with its mission to provide Guyana with blazing Internet speeds.
“GTT will not be moved; our team will not be moved. There is no force, evil or otherwise that will stop us from providing the fastest, most reliable, the most secured communications to your homes and to your businesses,” the CEO stated.

Minister of Public Telecommunication, Cathy Hughes, who had also addressed the issue on Tuesday at a joint press conference with GTT, warned that if it is “some warp sense of competition”, the perpetrators will face the full brunt of the law.
Vandalism of overhead, on the ground or subsurface cable is an offense and it is a serious offense, she warned while referencing to Section 131 of the Criminal Law Offenses Act Chapter 8:01.
“If this happens to be some warp sense of competition, I want to say that in the spirit of fair competition and trade all should be allowed to conduct legitimate and responsible business in the sector and to bring much needed service to the Guyanese people.”
She made it clear that the National Telecommunications Agency will not be issuing any license to any person or organisation found culpable of committing such act.
The first act in this recent series of sabotage was detected on July 14, 2017, one day before GTT officially launched the Blaze fibre-optic high speed Internet.
In February 2017, the company’s fiber-optic cable was also sabotaged at a time when it launched its high speed LTE broadband in Essequibo. Over the past 12 months, GTT’s loss of service and restoration effort equated to $50M.