Win-Win Situation as MHUD and TATT facilitate access of Telecommunications Service Providers to HDC Communities

On Thursday 13 October 2016, the Honourable Randall Mitchell, Minister of Housing and Urban Development, presided over the signing of an Agreement between major local telecommunications service providers and the Trinidad and Tobago Housing Development Corporation (HDC). The signing which was hosted at the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development’s South Quay office, was precipitated by a desire to provide modern technology services to residents of HDC’s housing communities.

The Honourable Randall Mitchell, Minister of Housing and Development took the opportunity to thank the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (TATT) for their assistance and intervention in bringing together the service providers and the HDC. While acknowledging the delay in the finalisation of this agreement, the Minister underscored the fact that a structured and cautious approach was necessary to ensure that all the legal and regulatory components were taken into consideration.

The Minister also noted that the signing of the Agreement was a “win-win situation” for all affected stakeholders, particularly the residents of the HDC’s housing communities who have long been clamouring for this very basic necessity, which so many of us take for granted. He assured them that having taken this first major step, the Ministry and the HDC will continue to work with all the service providers so that the residents in our housing developments will now have a wider variety of options available.

The HDC as the licensor in the Agreement would grant service providers access to the HDC’s developments for the sole purpose of providing telecommunications services, as well as conducting all ancillary works inclusive of deployment of infrastructure where necessary to facilitate the provision and maintenance of cables and installation.

The undermentioned persons signed on behalf of their respective agencies:

 Mr. Brent Lyons, Managing Director (Ag.) – Housing Development Corporation;
 Mr. Charles Carter, Executive Vice President, Legal, Regulatory and Carrier Services – TSTT;
 Mr. Garvin Medera, Chief Executive Officer – Digicel Play;
 Mr. Brian Jahra, Chief Executive Officer – Massy Communications Limited;
 Brian Collins, Managing Director, Columbus Communications (FLOW)

Other witnesses to the signing included Ms. Marion Hayes, Deputy Permanent Secretary, MHUD; Mr. Newman George, Chairman, HDC; Ms. Cynthia Reddock-Downes, Chief Executive Officer (Ag.), TATT; Mr. Kirk Sookram, Executive Officer, Technical Services and Development; and other representatives of the Ministry and the HDC.