ECTEL Chairman promotes new Legislation

San Juan, Puerto Rico. — Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the
Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority (ECTEL), Senator Vincent
Byron, says that the new Electronic Communications Bill for Eastern Caribbean States is
designed with best intention to serve the public interest, while offering service providers
with opportunities to do business in our markets.

Speaking at the 32nd annual conference of CANTO in Puerto Rico, Senator Byron told
participants that the draft bill was recommended to the member states of ECTEL after
extensive national and regional public consultation. He added that the new legislation
will further advance the purposes of ECTEL, which include increasing innovation in
service delivery and open competition.

Byron who is also the Minister with responsibility for Telecommunications in St.
Kitts and Nevis said that the issues which are at the heart of electronic communications
regulations today for the ECTEL Member States are the reduction of roaming rates,
introduction of number portability; over-the-top services and net neutrality. The ECTEL
Council Chairman said that: “While we consider all the definitions and biases in the
debate on net neutrality rules, the people of our region must enjoy full access to the
internet like all other citizens of the world.”

He supported the call by Telecommunications Ministers from Antigua and Barbuda,
Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago for the expansion of broadband services at affordable
prices to the people of the region.

The 32nd Canto conference is addressing a wide range of issues such as net neutrality,
internet of things(IoT), big data, investment in broadband networks and converged
regulations.

The delegates and presenters are drawn from throughout the Caribbean region, North
America. and Europe. Twelve ministers are participating from the Caribbean region. The
delegation from the ECTEL Member States include staff of the ECTEL Directorate,
Commissioners and staff from the NTRCs of Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia
and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

The CANTO 32nd annual conference and exhibition is taking place in San Juan, Puerto
Rico from July 31 – August 5th 2016.

CANTO is made up of organisations responsible for operating, maintaining and
supplying public telecommunications networks in the Caribbean. Its vision is: “to become
the leading authority in shaping information, communication and technology in the
Caribbean region and the Americas.