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Abuse of Power

Monopoly Cable TV Blocks TV6 Olympics

Lindsay Gillette Government Minister and major shareholder in Power 102.
His family also holds shares in the monopoly cable television.
By A. H. Hotep
September 15, 2000

I warned the public about a dangerous monopoly that was developing. I further warned them against sitting back and allowing the cable television companies to be gobbled up by InterComm, the Gillette family and friends company.

In the face of the government's anti-monopoly statements, they took Gillette, who was already attempting to acquire telecommunication licenses, and placed him in charge of telecommunication. Immediately after taking that position the Gillette family and friends bought the last remaining independent cable company.

I warned the public that this was a dangerous move and that they should lobby for the government to take steps to regulate this monopoly. Most people remained silent. Even the 'now being squeezed' TV6 did not want to rock the boat, and off course I understand why. They would have done the same thing; incidentally, they acquired their television license when the main shareholder was in the cabinet of the NAR, 'another political party'. Therefore, the proverbial pot did not want to call the kettle black.

There is nothing to stop 'Gillettes' from increasing cable rates at will, and dictating which channels the people get to see. There is nothing to force them to improve the service. All of this was taking place while this UNC government was claiming that they are trying to get rid of monopolies.

As I have already explained they brought Lindsay Gillette into their ministry to get control over the popular Power 102 FM now christened Poorer 102 FM, and Gillette accepted because he wanted to get the carrot that the Prime Minister dangled, the cellular license.

The government has now gotten Gillette to stop accepting commercials from political parties on their Poorer 102 radio station. Gillette also made a deal with the Basdeo Panday-government-controlled-state-media to deny the quasi-independent TV6 Television Station from broadcasting the Olympics via the cable channels. Many people who got rid of their antennas because the local stations were shown on the cable channels are now unable to view the Olympics live. The government orchestrated this move because they wanted the bulk of the public to watch the UNC propaganda state television where they continually show their UNC commercials.

People should also use this fiasco to learn the important lessons that they were taking for granted. Now that Gillette family and friends has shown how they operate with a monopoly, are they going to sit back and allow them to control cellular licenses? Are they going to trust medias controlled by politicians and business people?

People could have learnt these lessons before if they took the time to revisit their history. They are now experiencing something that they have already experience several times.

Those who do not learn from their past often repeat their errors.

In true Olympic spirit

Powerless 102 FM

A Racist Radio Station in Trinidad

An Open Letter to Peter Gillette

A. H. Hotep

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