On 6 July 2009, the President of the Republic Jose Ramos-Horta met with the Head of Digicel, Mr. Dennis O'Brien, in Dili Timor-Leste.
Digicel is seeking obtain a license to provide Telecommunications Services to the people of Timor-Leste. In 2002 the Government of Timor-Leste gave a 15 year monopoly to Timor Telcom. In October 2007 Tempo Semanal ran a nationawide poll in which over 95% of respondents were in favour of allowing competition into the Timorese Telecommunications market.
On the 4th June 2009 the ICT Timor-Leste Association facebook site published a report in which it came out very strongly against the telecommunication monopoly held by Timor Telcom. It states in the official language of Timor-Leste the following: in short it states that "The monopoly has to be stopped because it is against the interests of Development". This is also according to The Government the year of "Goodbye Conflict, Welcome Development"
"Hakotu prátika monopoliu tanba kontra interese dezenvolvimentu nasional no liu-liu kontra Konstituisaun RDTL. Timor-Telekom LAOS Relijiaun, ne’ebé LABELE troka tun-sa’e!! Kontratu entre Governu ho Timor Telekom LAOS Bíblia ne’ebé hatun husi “profeta” ida!! Komponenti nasaun tomak tenke tau Interese Povu no dezenvolvimentu Nasionál, aas liu buat hotu."
Previously the President of Timor-Leste, the President of the National Parliament, the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Tourism Commerce and Industry, the Deputy Prime Minister - indeed virtually the whole Government of Timor-Leste, most Members of Parliament, and the publice service, and the international community in Dili, are upset with the ongoing monopoly and quality of service.
The Government established a Telecommunications Task Force in January 2008, and international staff on this task force are paid over 450,000.00USD/year, but to date there is no result.
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