Digicel Haiti has decided to
backtrack on the blockade of VoIP Apps in Haiti after closed door meetings on
Tuesday July 16th 2014 with the Haitian Government as stated in “Digicel
will unblock all apps by midnight in Haiti”, published Wednesday, July 16,
2014 10:56 AM, The Sentinel Staff.
This
after having blocked VoIP Services Viber and Nimbuzz some two (2) weeks and
three (3) days prior on Sunday June 29th, 2014 as I’d reported in my
blog article
entitled “Digicel
blocks VoIP Services Viber and Nimbuzz in Haiti - Digicel losing International
Calling Revenue but will be worse when WhatsApp comes”.
According
to the article, it appears to be due to the fact that the Haitian Government,
led by Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe, has collected a total of US$8.5 million
over a period of three (3) years. This was via the implementation of an “illegal”
Telecoms Tax on International Calling, the proceeds of which were funneled into
the FNE (National Fund for Education).
This
Telecoms Tax is very similar to the Cess and the Telecoms Tax being collected
by the Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining under the USF
(Universal Service Fund), formerly the UAFCL (Universal Access Fund Company
Limited) as explained in detail in my Geezam
blog article entitled “How
Network Neutrality and International Calling can thrive as TATT mediates VoIP
Blockade by Digicel and LIME”.
But
with one major difference; the Haitian Telecoms Tax on International Calling used
to fund the FNE is illegal!
Telecoms Tax and the
FNE – Greed and Corruption used to take advantage of a Crisis to stay in Power
The
FNE was implemented a few weeks after Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe came to
power in 2011 without legislation, something that a basic requirement to
implement taxes in ANY Caribbean or International Jurisdiction. Even more
unusual, the FNE isn't being collected by the Central Bank but by CONATEL, the
Haitian Government's Regulatory Commission for Telecommunications.
This
doesn’t look good at all!
Currently,
when you make International Calls from Jamaica to Haiti, the calls are billed
at a rate of US$23.00, which includes a JA$5.50
Cess or Tax that’s collected by Digicel Haiti on behalf of the Haitian Government to help in
their rebuilding efforts. That Telecoms Tax is collected on BOTH outgoing and
incoming International Calls and were supposed to be handed over to the Haitian Government as explained
in my Geezam blog article entitled “How
to set up an International Calling Plan for Digicel or LIME Prepaid and
Postpaid”.
Good
to note that was around the same time as the Haiti Earthquake that struck on
Tuesday 12th January 2010 at 4:53 pm as recorded in my blog article
entitled “Funding
Haiti reconstruction is the responsibility of the French, as it is their
“property””.
The
FNE most likely was implemented by Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe a year later in
2011 when he came into power as an emergency measure. The devastation wrought by the Earthquake
means that money had to be found to fund National Education Projects such as
rebuilding Schools as well as CAP (Community Access Points) and Internet Cafes.
Children, it seemed, had to be made to
realize that a sense of normalcy was being maintained and that they were the
future of Haiti.
So,
taking advantage of the crisis and the concern for the children of Haiti,
Laurent Lamothe, on becoming Prime Minister, implemented the Telecoms Tax in
2011. Coincidentally, this was a year before
the GOJ (Government of Jamaica) implemented a separate Telecoms Tax on June
2012 as described in my blog article
entitled “GOJ
taxes Telecom Providers and OUR sets Cross Network and International Calling
Rate at JA$5.00 - Data Services Prometheus”.
Thus
the question begs? Is the Jamaican Telecoms Tax in any way influenced by the Haitian Telecoms Tax? Thoughts to
ponder……
Haiti and FNE – How
Digicel and Laurent Lamothe Telecoms Tax has a French Connection
However,
according to an investigation conducted in the Fourth Quarter of 2013 by the
Senate Committee on Public Works and Communications, nearly 40% of the US$8.5
million worth of already illegal Telecoms Tax for the FNE was being
used for “Internal Purchases” within the Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe
Government.
Sacrebleu!
There
is even a school of thought that Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe is funneling
the FNE money to fund his run for President of Haiti coming up in 2015. As the
story goes, Mr Laurent Lamothe previously held the position of CEO of Global
Voice Group.
While
there, he purportedly made under-the-table financial deals i.e. bribes given to
rogue African states such as Senegal, Cote de Ivore and other French-speaking
African Countries in exchange for CONATEL being able to impose Taxation on
International Calls to these very same African States.
If
this is even true in any way, it means
that CONATEL isn't just collecting a Telecoms Tax for the FNE from outbound
Calls, but also from inbound Calls coming from African States. Many Haitians
have relatives from French-speaking African States such as Senegal and Cote de
Ivore aka the Ivory Coast living in Haiti
Thus
it makes sense that the Haitian Government would seek such a tax. However,
putting this conspiracy theory aside, the main problem is the illegality of the
Telecoms Tax. This projected Telecoms Tax of US$8.5 million or more translates
to billions of Haitian dollars going from the Telecoms Tax into Prime Minister
Laurent Lamothe personal Campaign War Chest. Or in this case, 40% of the US$8.5
million collected over a three (3) year period.
Digicel Haiti and VoIP
– Digicel distances itself from the corrupt Laurent Lamothe Administration
Digicel Haiti wasn’t
comfortable with this, as it’s associating their Brand with corruption and the
misappropriation of 40% of US$8.5 million collected over a three (3) year span.
Hence the reason why they relaxed the ban on the VoIP Calling after closed door
meetings on Tuesday July 16th 2014 with the Haitian Government!
Digicel Haiti apparently were
not be too happy with being associated with what may be corruption. Hence the
reason they backtracked, despite the fact that their decision will result in
them effectively experiencing Bypass and degradation of their Voice Services.
Apparently,
their reputation was worth more to them than making money from International
Calling and handing over money to a Telecoms Tax that was, on the face of it,
illegal as it broke a basic tenet of Law; it wasn’t legislated or even debated
within their Parliaments Lower and Upper Houses.
Worse,
they may find themselves being drawn into an investigation of the actions of Prime
Minister Laurent Lamothe’s Administration even as he’s being investigated by
the Senate Committee on Public Works and Communications. Thus by unblocking
VoIP and giving the people of Haiti back their ability to make International
Calls for free, Digicel Haiti
is in essence distancing itself from the corrupt Administration of Prime
Minister Laurent Lamothe.
In
short, the reasons of the Haitian Government were noble but over time, they
were corrupted by Greed and a desire to hold on to power. Or in this case, to
fund the ascent of the one Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe to a higher level
within the echelons of the Haitian Government!
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