CWU: TSTT cable theft ‘political’

By Leiselle Maraj Wednesday, August 8 2007

Communication Workers’ Union (CWU) president John Julien yesterday claimed that acts of vandalism of TSTT cable lines are meant to influence the electorate to vote out the Government, by suggesting it is unable to provide a reliable telecommunications service.

Julien said the union had observed that the vandalism, the most recent incident being Monday’s destruction of cable lines in several areas in San Fernando, had increased in opposition strongholds in Central Trinidad.

“One can only assume that this is an attack against TSTT, more so the Government, to make the Government appear not able to provide service and therefore allow the public to lose confidence in TSTT and their ability to provide proper service,” said Julien. He made the claims during a media conference at the CWU’s headquarters, Henry Street, Port-of-Spain yesterday.

Julien said the CWU did not have faith in TSTT’s own investigations of the cable theft, nor those of the police, and believed the Government, as the majority shareholder in TSTT, should undertake its own probe of the upsurge in cable theft. He said TSTT’s explanation that the fibre optic cables were being stolen for copper was not the real reason behind the acts of vandalism.

Apart from the political motive, Julien said research done by the union suggested the vandalism was aimed at making TSTT appear to be unreliable, therefore improving the image of its competitors.

Julien questioned the theory of the theft for the sale of copper stating “cable has been cut and left on the ground.”

The CWU advised that TSTT should abandon the contract system for the installation of cables and have the lines buried and manholes locked which, Julien said, TSTT was “quite capable of performing with minimum costs.”

Julien also called on the Government to conduct an audit of TSTT “to determine the extent of and to put a stop to the hemorrhaging of funds of the company.” TSTT recently posted a $122M loss for the 2006 fiscal year.

Oh what ah dotish mudder cont is this ?

Which focking opposition cont will send somebody to cut fockin telephone cable. How the fock you think we keep in contact with one another. Apparently he suggesting that niggas dont live in San Fernando and areas in Central Trinidad.

Would someone tell this asshole up till today there is no competition for fixed or land lines in Trinidad. Cell phones connie uses transmission towers cont, not fockin cable.

The real problem cont is that TSTT from ever since has been loaded up wid niggas from top to bottom and fockin PNM sycophants. Do you know of any nigga that could run an efficient and profitable business.? Even selling fockin dinner mints and nuts and mauby bark in town, they cyah do that properly. IT does buss.

Check the fockin niggas opposite the fockin La Basse (garbage dump) and you will see the mudder cont and them burnin the fockin cable to go and sell the copper. Tell me any coolie area you see dey does do that cont ?

All yuh had a big monopoly for fockin years and all the time TSTT was making profits. All of ah sudden, 122million loss. Why?

Niggas. Pests. Useless. Not proned to business. Just fockin teef, they teefin cable like is fockin zaboca from the fockin Indian yard.