Gov. owned companies helping to destroy ourselves

A former retired Government official has recognized the need for legislation to address consumer protection for St. Maarten especially against government owned companies. GEBE, TELEM and UTS were singled out by the former Commissioner on his Face Book page for the role they play in being unfair to consumers and in some areas providing the poorest possible service when compared to less developed countries in the region.

From poor to mediocre internet speed and telephone connections offered by both telephone companies and the utility company’s constant outages, all with concessions and are protected by government but do not even compensate customers for the lack of adequate service and in some cases losses that customers incurred. The former government official who is now on the receiving end of the quality service provided by these companies and the lack of consideration given to customers has no choice but to now call on our legislators in Parliament to present legislation to protect consumers.

Most businesses depend on quality internet services to survive and more and more businesses are asking customers to go on line to conduct business transactions while the services of these telephone companies are less than average and more expensive than elsewhere. Isn’t it time to open up the market for customers to choose for better and faster service or to force government own companies to improve greatly on their services and to come in line with other countries that are doing far better than we are at this stage. Think for a moment what the lack of proper internet service can do to the traveling public and banking. Do we know that visitors to the island are choosing to avoid St. Maarten for the lack of quality internet service that they are accustomed to or more familiar with where ever else they travel?

If we don’t lift our game we can expect to be left behind and we have no one else to blame but ourselves.

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