Competition for Flow has PM’s full support

Following public outcry over changes made to channels and increases in package rates on Flow’s Internet and cable television services, Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves has declared that he will be supporting a competitor service’s application to operate in St Vincent and the Grenadines.{{more}}

At a press conference yesterday, July 14, PM Gonsalves said: “I’m not being partial to one side or the other; I just want persons [Vincentians] to have their choices!”

Minister of Foreign Affairs Camillo Gonsalves announced that a St Lucian-based company, called Spectra Inc, which provides digital television services through Internet connection rather than cable, will have its application to operate locally decided upon tomorrow in Cabinet.

“I am telling you upfront that on Wednesday I will be supporting it,” declared PM Gonsalves.

PM Gonsalves said that whether a company is foreign or local, it has to be “very sensitive to the market in which they are.”

He went on to say that although he welcomes foreign investment in every area of economic activity, he is “certainly not pleased” that Flow has seemingly not taken into account the opinions and feelings of locals.

“A wide cross-section of people are not satisfied!”

In 2012, Gonsalves spoke out in Parliament against Karib Cable when similar changes were made and customers were not suitably consulted beforehand.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Camillo Gonsalves said that the Government is well aware that many customers are disgruntled with the changes that have been implemented in the last few weeks by Columbus International Inc, which bought Karib Cable and rebranded as Flow.

In addition to the increase in package prices, many of the more popular channels, such as USA, Cloo, WPIX, MSNBC, GSN and OWN (among others), have been discontinued and replaced with channels that some customers feel have no relevance to a Vincentian audience.

Minister Gonsalves revealed that before Flow had officially begun its operations locally, he had held discussions with Flow representatives, government officials and director of the National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission Apollo Knights to voice his concerns about proposed changes.

“You’re supposed to get more content as time goes on for less money,” he pointed out.

He also said that at the time, he viewed the “trade off” in channels as not being beneficial to the customer, but was informed by Flow representatives that for legal reasons, some channels had to be removed, and should not have been on offer in the first place.

Minister Gonsalves explained: “While it is possible for a small enterprise to offer channels and not catch the attention of that channel, it is very difficult for a large corporation that exists all around the world to do the same.”

He pointed out that he had warned Flow representatives that SVG has been down a similar path with other cable providers and that Vincentians can be “robust” when they believe they are being slighted.

Minister Gonsalves said that in the near future, he would have to have discussions again with Flow about the content being offered to customers, ensuring that what is being offered to Vincentians is standardised with Flow’s operations across the rest of the Eastern Caribbean, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago.

“It is something we are monitoring,” he insisted. “We believe that consumers have a voice in this matter and the regulators have a voice in this matter.”

Director at the Bureau of Standards Ezra Ledger said that in regard to trading standards, if there are changes to any agreed services, consumers should be “aptly informed.”

Although Ledger admitted that no formal complaints about Flow’s services have been lodged, he has been privy to certain conversations that lead him to believe that there has been a reduction in quality and that customer service seems to be “below par” – which he finds to be disrespectful.

The director said that should customers wish to lodge a complaint, they can call the Bureau of Standards on 457-8092, email: svgbs@vincysurf.com or come into its office at Campden Park.

SEARCHLIGHT made contact with Flow and was assured by Shelly-Ann Hee Chung, vice-president of Sales and Marketing (with responsibility for the Eastern Caribbean) that the company would respond to the matter this week, but preferred to do so in person, as certain explanations and sentiments might be “lost” via email or phone.(JV)