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House eyes telecoms regulations despite opposition from industry
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Posted on Jun 30 1999
The House Committee on Public Utilities, Transportation and Communications yesterday began its review of the proposed regulations of the telecommunications sector in the CNMI as industry leaders expressed opposition against the move.
Members of the panel met with officials of the governor’s task force on telecommunications and Commonwealth Utilities Corporation as well as representatives of phone companies in the island to discuss provisions of the measure sponsored by Rep. Melvin Faisao.
The discussion centered around the regulatory aspect of the proposal as industry leaders believe the current set-up does not require a government body to oversee the potential growth of telecommunications in the Commonwealth.
But House Majority Floor Leader Ana S. Teregeyo, a member of the committee, underscored the need to implement rules and regulations governing the emerging sector to protect public’s welfare.
“It would be an open competition and everybody would be able to participate and come in with maybe one of the top ideas how to provide such service which would be very good for the people of the Commonwealth,” she said after the two-hour meeting.
The representative said the public would benefit in terms of lower rates and reduced costs of the services the sector provides because “if you encourage competition, you can see lower rates for better service.”
The measure, which was filed last year, will be deliberated by the committee to come up with recommendations before it goes out to the floor for voting by the full House.
In a separate interview, the bill’s proponent said they would consider suggestions to fine tune provisions of the proposal.
According to Faisao, they will study and weigh the fees to be imposed once the regulatory body is set up, adding that the $25,000 initial proposal may further go down.
But the legislator stressed the significance of the bill, noting that it will promote free-market policies that would give the public “an opportunity to have more choices and select any carrier they want.”
