The Bahamian people for years have been trying to understand the rules, and regulations as it relates to Cable Bahamas. The Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) and Government officials seem to be asleep at the wheel when it comes to scrutinizing the activities of Cable Bahamas.
As a Bahamian I am very concerned about the recent unchallenged allegations made against Cable Bahamas in the media, and the deep silence by both major political parties. The smaller political parties are also very silent on questions raised about the alleged questionable practices of Cable Bahamas.
It is my belief that the reason Cable Bahamas continues to get a free pass, and seems to answer to nobody is that Bahamians with deep pockets and high positions are major shareholders in Cable Bahamas, and they refuse to rock the boat possibly because of their own personal gain.
In the Bahamas, after all these years, politicians and people in high places seem to look out only for their family, lovers and friends. In some instances I blame the Bahamian people because we are very passive and very slow in agitating for answers to very important questions that affect the Bahamas.
These recent allegations being aired about Cable Bahamas, if not addressed, could be very damaging for the Bahamas on the international stage.
As a concerned Bahamian I would like the following questions answered by Cable Bahamas, their shareholders and government:
1) Is Cable Bahamas stealing signal as alleged from DirectTV?
2) Is Cable Bahamas allowed by law to sell ads overriding the ads by the international networks?
3) Being a public trading company, what is BISX’s position, if indeed Cable Bahamas is stealing signal,
and how does this affect the real value of their stocks? How does BISX’s nonaction make us look with other international exchanges?
4) Is it legal lor Cable Bahamas to charge a late fee a minute after the payment deadline? Is there a legal reason why BEC, and BaTelCo do not have this same privilege?
5) If true, could DirectTV take legal action against Cable Bahamas, and by extension the government of the Bahamas?
Bahamians must understand that if these allegations against Cable are true, we as a country may be in deep trouble with the international copyright body, once again, as they previously viewed us as a country of pirates.
Bahamas, it is high time that we get answers to this very important question: is Cable Bahamas stealing signal as alleged from DirectTV, and reselling it to the Bahamian public?
GENE GIBSON
Nassau, Bahamas
August, 2010.
