Sunday Ed/Op October 26th 2003.

Reprinted for Fair Use Only

Although consumer laws are designed to protect consumers from unscrupulous business people who use cynical price-fixing measures to steal the last penny out of consumers’ wallets, one could not tell Trinbagonians that. As far as Trinbagonians are concerned, there are few consumer laws that offer any protection to ordinary persons. In T&T, consumers believe predators are ripping them off and that is an ominous sign for the society.

It is a truism that businesses are created to make money rather than to perform a useful services even though such services may be provided in the process. In fact, it might be said that to the degree that a businessman provides a useful service it is to that degree he is likely to make a profit. Yet, too often little concern is shown for consumers. While advertisers spend millions annually to advertise their products very rarely are they as scrupulous in making sure that consumers get what they pay for. All too often business companies are reluctant to replace and/or give a refund for defective products.

For the past year, we have been following the operations of the Cable Company of Trinidad and Tobago (CCTT). We secured the names of persons from across the country that expressed dissatisfaction with the services they received. Months ago, we submitted their names, together with a letter, to the relevant authorities. Today, we still await word from Rennie Dumas, the line Minister, as to whether the Manning government will regulate cable. While the Minister believes he has the world of time to deal with this matter the cable company continues to distress consumers in several ways.

CCTT is now locked in a court battle with COTT, a copyright organization. COTT argues that the cable company should pay a license fee for the music it uses in their programming. The cable company contends that the fee is too high and is willing to pay 6 U.S. cents per subscriber. It also contends that it pays U.S. programmers for the programmes they air on local cable. If this is true, why does the cable company block out certain programmes that are carried on TV6? If the cable company has the rights they claim to have, why don’t they air all programmes regardless of whether they are shown on TV6 simultaneously?

Is the cable company being honest with the 80 thousand cable subscribers in this country? Who are the programmers in the United States our cable company pays? For instance, Viacom, a leading global company with preeminent positions in broadcast and cable television, consists of well-known brands that includeVh1,CBS,BET, COMEDY CENTRAL, SHOWTIME and NICKELODEON. Cable subscribers in Trinidad and Tobago are charged for these channels although Viacom does not sell them on the international market. Viacom sells programs to television stations around the world. These programs include The David Letterman Show, Everybody loves Raymond and Crime Scene Investigation.

Paramount Television, another subsidiary of Viacom, distributes television programming for network and international platforms. Their programs include FRASIER, STAR TREK, ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT and JUDGE JUDY. Although consumers in Trinidad are charged for these programs via cable packages, the question remains: does the cable company pay Viacom for them? In a strongly worded letter to the office of the United States Trade representative in Washington in July 1996, Bonnie J.K. Richardson of the Motion Pictures Association of America noted that Trinidad and Tobago was one of the 19 Caribbean countries that engage in the unauthorized transmission of U.S. satellite signals, including U.S. movie services. She stated further that the piracy of cable in this island stood at 100 percent. Titles such as Forrest Grump, True Lies, Clear and Present Danger were aired on cable channels in this country. Not a cent was sent to the Motion Picture industry. Moreover, member company representatives and local licensees on the island air theatrical movies on cable channels within eight months to a year after they have been produced thereby eclipsing the possibility of legal distribution. Further the cable companies re-transmit U.S. basic cable programming without any authorization to do so.

In recent times, the cable company has treated consumers with great disrespect. Local advertisements are aired during regular programming. Consumers are not told about this arrangement when they sign up for the service. A local conglomerate has taken over the 6pm to 10 pm slot daily on channel 16, which airs CNN, for local programming. HBO and SHOWTIME are two premium channels that are not sold as channels outside the United States. Yet consumers are charged for them. Clearly this is illegal.

Bonnie Richardson also stated that the unauthorized reception problem in Trinidad and Tobago is being exacerbated by the spread of cable systems, which retransmit satellite signals to subscribers without any payment to copyright holders. Many pirate cable operators sell local advertising on the U.S. programming they transmit to their subscribers. The government has a responsibility to stop such illegal action. From all available evidence, it seems as though the cable company is pirating cable feeds and selling them to consumers. If this is true, then we are merely the modern pirates of the Caribbean. This should not be allowed to continue.

Mr. Dumas we are still trying to tune you in. Can it be that your transmission is being obscured by the Cable Company of Trinidad and Tobago or is it that you have tuned yourself off completely from the persons who elected your government? Consumers have a way of exacting revenge. They simply pull the plug on the station, which, in this case, might be the plug on a PNM government. Piracy is never a good thing. Those who are fleeced are never happy. What is done in the darkness always comes to light. How wonderful it would be if Mr. Dumas stopped and listed to the consumers for just a minute.

We await your word.

Reprinted for Fair Use Only From:
www.i955fm.com/applicationloader.asp?app=articles&id=1178