Latest update September 16th, 2026 10:17 AM
GT&T monopoly has held back Guyana’s economy – Dr. Luncheon
The monopoly held by Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T) has hindered Information Technology from making the kind of contributions to Guyana’s economy that have been made in other economies, said Cabinet Secretary Dr Roger Luncheon.
Dr Luncheon said that there has been rapid improvement in countries where de-monopolisation has taken place, and a more competitive environment exists.
This is according to Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon, who yesterday told reporters that by the end of the year consultations will take place to make the industry more competitive.
GT&T will be giving up its monopoly next year, and according to Dr. Luncheon, the path forward is to conclude an engagement with telecommunication service providers to put in place a more competitive service in Guyana.
The monopoly by GT&T, he said, has essentially consolidated an extremely uncompetitive market with difficulties in developing the economy through IT.
“So for us, the breakeven point is a more competitive communication sector that translates into the removal of the monopoly.”
Dr. Luncheon said, that at present they are working with stakeholders in putting a ‘road map’ in place with the formulation of a new telecommunication act, while at the same time, putting in place new license arrangements.
This, he added, will enable Guyana to benefit from a more competitive environment with less expensive access to telecommunication services.
“GT&T, Digicel, ISPs will all be a part of the consultations that we anticipate that will be taking place before the end of the year as we move forward in making this industry more competitive and open,” Dr. Luncheon said.
Only recently, Information and Communication Technology for Development was the spotlight when the Caribbean Community Secretariat hosted a series of meetings, a symposium and a children’s festival on this issue.
The CARICOM meetings and activities were held under the theme ‘Caribbean Information Society: Using ICT as an enabler’.
At the meeting, officials and Ministers from Member States received reports on wide-ranging issues in relation to ICT in the region. These included reports from regional and international agencies on work being done to achieve the CARICOM Information Society.
In keeping with the decisions reached, Caricom Heads of Government are to give prominence to functional cooperation in the work of the community; ICT was identified as critical to achieving this mandate.
During a meeting earlier this year, President Bharrat Jagdeo, met with officials from the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU) to discuss the development of the local ICT sector.
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