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ponda pon dis....den dis mawning mi see di said topic eena di paper a yaad....mi did tink to miself wedda Digicel is a US company r wat cause mi did read weh dat sort of company no suppose to a do bizniz wid Cuba...so it crass mi mind seh , well den, dem a go try a ting using yaad as di country of record like how dem ships pon di seas do 
a so mi a tink to miself...and den mi see dis eena di Observer:
<span style="font-weight: bold">Why PJ, Digicel officials went to Cuba</span>
Sunday, May 17, 2009
THE one-day trip to Cuba last Thursday that ended in a swirl of controversy involving former prime minister P J Patterson was a proactive attempt by telecoms giant Digicel <span style="font-weight: bold">to secure a phone service carrier contract between Jamaica and Cuba</span>,
the Sunday Observer has learnt.
At the same time, the storm triggered by media reports that local authorities had reason to search the aircraft chartered for the trip has left the public wondering what information the authorities had and the credibility of the intelligence they received.
"The police would not have gone to the airport unless they had information which they thought was worth verifying," said a source close to the authorities but who asked not to be named because he was not authorised to speak to the press.
However, both police and customs officials confirmed Friday that the aircraft and its passengers were searched on arrival and that nothing illegal was found.
"The plane came in, was searched and no contraband was found. The passengers were also searched and nothing was found on them," the Jamaica Constabulary Force's director of communication Karl Angell told the Sunday Observer.
Customs Department spokeswoman Anneke Rousseau gave a similar response when the Sunday Observer asked whether it was true that the authorities were told that a large amount of US dollars was on the plane.
Digicel, in a statement Friday, expressed surprise at the reports and urged that the issue be fully investigated. The Government has since ordered a probe and promised that the results would be delivered to Prime Minister Bruce Golding when he returns to the island today.
Patterson also issued a statement in which he described as "false and spurious" the allegations relating to him and outlined the sequence of events leading to the controversy.
He said he had travelled to Cuba with Digicel officials to hold discussions with the Ministry of Informatics and Communication in Cuba.
"Digicel has been the first Caribbean operator to establish a commercial agreement with ETECSA and is seeking to expand its operations in the Caribbean market," Patterson said.
Government sources have confirmed that Cuba has applied for a fibre-optic cable to run to Jamaica.
"As a result, Cuba now needs to get a carrier and Digicel and LIME have been shortlisted by the Cubans," a highly placed Government source said yesterday.
He added that Cuba's application for the licence is now before the Office of Utilities Regulation and is expected to be approved very soon.
A People's National Party official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Patterson was approached by Digicel to assist them in negotiating for the contract.
"Digicel figured that because of Mr Patterson's known negotiating skills and the fact that he has considerable contacts in Cuba that he could help them," said the source.
a so mi a tink to miself...and den mi see dis eena di Observer:
<span style="font-weight: bold">Why PJ, Digicel officials went to Cuba</span>
Sunday, May 17, 2009
THE one-day trip to Cuba last Thursday that ended in a swirl of controversy involving former prime minister P J Patterson was a proactive attempt by telecoms giant Digicel <span style="font-weight: bold">to secure a phone service carrier contract between Jamaica and Cuba</span>,
the Sunday Observer has learnt.At the same time, the storm triggered by media reports that local authorities had reason to search the aircraft chartered for the trip has left the public wondering what information the authorities had and the credibility of the intelligence they received.
"The police would not have gone to the airport unless they had information which they thought was worth verifying," said a source close to the authorities but who asked not to be named because he was not authorised to speak to the press.
However, both police and customs officials confirmed Friday that the aircraft and its passengers were searched on arrival and that nothing illegal was found.
"The plane came in, was searched and no contraband was found. The passengers were also searched and nothing was found on them," the Jamaica Constabulary Force's director of communication Karl Angell told the Sunday Observer.
Customs Department spokeswoman Anneke Rousseau gave a similar response when the Sunday Observer asked whether it was true that the authorities were told that a large amount of US dollars was on the plane.
Digicel, in a statement Friday, expressed surprise at the reports and urged that the issue be fully investigated. The Government has since ordered a probe and promised that the results would be delivered to Prime Minister Bruce Golding when he returns to the island today.
Patterson also issued a statement in which he described as "false and spurious" the allegations relating to him and outlined the sequence of events leading to the controversy.
He said he had travelled to Cuba with Digicel officials to hold discussions with the Ministry of Informatics and Communication in Cuba.
"Digicel has been the first Caribbean operator to establish a commercial agreement with ETECSA and is seeking to expand its operations in the Caribbean market," Patterson said.
Government sources have confirmed that Cuba has applied for a fibre-optic cable to run to Jamaica.
"As a result, Cuba now needs to get a carrier and Digicel and LIME have been shortlisted by the Cubans," a highly placed Government source said yesterday.
He added that Cuba's application for the licence is now before the Office of Utilities Regulation and is expected to be approved very soon.
A People's National Party official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Patterson was approached by Digicel to assist them in negotiating for the contract.
"Digicel figured that because of Mr Patterson's known negotiating skills and the fact that he has considerable contacts in Cuba that he could help them," said the source.
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