Say no to higher cable cost

THE EDITOR: Two of the country's cable providers, Flow and Digicel, have notified their customers of an increase in the cost of their service due to increased costs, and that they have no alternative but to pass on these costs.

I have a simple question for these two companies. Who should your customers pass their increased cost on to? It's not about the size of the increase, it's about the principle. Digicel has been charging $3 to customers who pay their bills over the counter at Digicel outlets for months. Imagine, to pay a Digicel bill you must first pay $3 before you pay "their" bill.

The Telecommunications Authority of TT (TATT) has said or done nothing about this practice as it seems toothless.

It is high time that customers of these two companies say enough is enough and demonstrate action by simply asking both companies to remove their service.

This will also allow the three national television stations to examine their content to see if what they are showing is what their audiences would watch and advertisers would purchase. Production companies can also take advantage of this situation and do research to create content that will appeal to audiences and thereby kick-start what was once a vibrant industry.

This constant increase in products and services is now out of hand with little or no justification. It would appear it's the bottom line that counts not the customers, who, companies are still to learn, are the ones that keep them in business. The new mantra is: Get as much as you can as quickly as you can.

For those of us old enough to remember two months ago, citizens made it abundantly clear they were not happy with the property tax valuation and the Government had to do an about-turn and make changes to the system.

For the time being property tax is on the back burner and may very well remain there as it is a contentious issue, and with a pending general election the Government may want to think three or four times before trying to impose it.

The power to straighten out many things in this country rests with the people. We are the real power: "We the people." Do your part and surprise yourself. There is strength in unity.

Should a high number of Flow and Digicel customers request the removal of their service, in a matter of days these companies will quickly see a reversal of the planned increased charges.

Come on people, stand up for your rights and send a strong message to all companies that continue to raise prices willy-nilly. We are the people and we have the power to make changes.

In the words of C Northcote Parkinson: “Delay is the deadliest form of denial.”

C PETERS

via e-mail