Freedom Newspaper (Raleigh, North Carolina)
Wise Man
4 March 2008
Barely less than one year, after Gambia's main telecommunication GAMTEL was privatized, the Company has went bankrupt, according to highly placed company officials, who spoke to the Freedom Newspaper.
In view of GAMTEL'S unpredictable future, the company has announces that Government office phones will no longer be "accessible to mobile phones." The move, according GAMTEL officials, was intended to cut down expenditure and also to bail out the company from the current budgetary problems it's faced with. A spokesperson of the Company tells the Freedom Newspaper that most Government institutions, "do not pay their bills in time and are currently owing the company millions of Dalasis." The Company said the spokesman, " is in the brink of total collapse" due to unpaid Government bills and other private clients.
GAMTEL, the nation's main telecommunication was privatized last year due to what Information Minister Neneh Macdowl Gaye describes as "financial crisis." facing the institution. Concerned by the state of affairs, Government invited Spectrum Group, a Lebanese investment firm to purchase 50 percent of GAMTEL'S shares. Muhammed Bazzi, a Lebanese origin, is the Chief Executive officer of Spectrum Gambia.
The coming of Spectrum, had brought hopes for the impoverished populace. The nation's hope of finding a lasting solution to the country's telecommunication nightmares had been shattered, as GAMTEL, has announces an increment on phone rate charges, with immediate effect. All GAMTEL call rates has been increased from one dalasi per unit to seven dalasis per unit. There has been an outcry across the country over such hikes on phone bills.
Many telecenters have been rendered closed due to GAMTEL'S tariff increase. Telecenter owners could not withstand the increment. They have closed their call centers in protest.
GAMTEL'S new Manager is Micheal Ten, a Lebanese National. Mr. Ten has been accused by his colleagues of "incompetence and carelessness." For instance, they said, Ten does not have good managerial skills and was engaged in misplaced project priorities. The new GAMTEL boss, according to insiders " is a liability" to the company.
Spectrum Group, is a Lebanon based company, which engaged in telecommunication, energy and petroleum management. The Company is currently helping to oversee the construction of the Government new petroleum site, situated in Kombo Mandinering.
A senior official of GAMTEL tells the Freedom Newspaper that the recent hikes on phone charges was as a result of "serious economic downturn" facing the company. The official says GAMTE is currently undergoing serious economic crisis and the new buyers have failed in their bid to restore financial sanity into the once most cherished and viable telecommunication in West Africa.
GAMTEL bills, are these days disputed by customers, because of its exorbitance in nature. They questioned about the accuracy of such bills, as they appeared too high. In some instances, customers suspect financial impropriety, on the side of GAMTEL'S billing Department.
A certain customer, who called an Africell line for two minutes was billed one hundred and six dalasis. The customer protested over the said bill. Other GAMTEL customers are also at the receiving end. These customers are crying out for such high bills, without justification.
Many GAMTEL customers are with the belief that Spectrum Group is not the solution to the country's telecommunication problems. They want Government to terminate the contract it reached with Spectrum and bring Bakary Njie back to GAMTEL. These customers believe that it's only Bakary Njie who can restore normalcy at GAMTEL. They lost faith and confidence in Spectrum Group.
Fansu Kinteh, a telecenter owner in Serre-Kunda, said phone bill hikes is causing problems in his locality. He says many customers refused to pay after using their telecenters.
According to Kinteh, a certain customer, who was billed D56 dalasi per unit, ended up taking him to the police. He says the customer thought that he cheated him.
Lamin Fadera, a resident of Brikama, says it's unfair for Government to allow GAMTEL to exploit citizens for nothing. He says Spectrum Group should be fired since it's unable to deliver the goods.
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this not fair on gambian back home to be charge for so much on calls, lets all the gambian stand together to see the goverment get gamtel back and be run by gambians. thanks, boy uk
I READ THE ARTICLE ABOUT GATEL. IT IS VERY SAD FR A COUNTRY LIKE THE GAMBIA THAT LOVES ITS PEOLE TO CHARGE MORE ON ITS OWN CITIZEN. I THINK WE WOULDLE TO SEE EVEY GAMBIA TO HAVE APHOTNE LINE IN HIS OR HER HOUSE FOR COMMUNICATIONS BUT IF AGAIN THE COUNTRY IS CHARGING MORE CUSTOMERS FOR WAT THEY DID NOT USE I THINK ISVRY WRONG, WE HAVE TO LOOK INTO THIS MATTER AND TAKE IT SERIOUSLY WE ARE GAMBIANS AND WE ARE PROUD OF THE COUNTRY AN ITS PEOPLE SO D'T LET US DWN IN COMMUNICATION AND THERE SHOULD BE A CHEAPER COST FOR EVERYONE THANKS LONG LIVE THE GAMBIA LONG LIVE THE PRESIDENT ALLAH BE WITH YOU A M E N BY KUNGIRA KOLLEY
It is really sad to see Gamtel going in the drain like this.Gamtel was once one of the best if not the best company in the Gambia with a very effective management team controlled by Gambians only.Gamtel used to embark on effective staff training both nationally and internationally with fairly cheaper tariffs and i bet now one would hardly see that due to the simple fact that the new management are just after their money and don't care hud about the staff,customers and the country as a whole.The president should look into this whole thing again for the benefit of the country because at the end of the day these people will go back to Lebanon and leave us to start it all over again.What a sad news. Thanks,Lang