The Communication Workers’ Union (CWU) is again calling for an investigation into the operation of Telecommunications Services of T&T (TSTT).
CWU secretary general Joanne Ogeer made the call yesterday, as she urged Public Utilities Minister Marvin Gonzales to take a keen interest in the company’s affairs at a media conference at CWU Hall in Port-of-Spain.
“I want to start by saying the Government of Trinidad and Tobago needs to pay more attention to TSTT. Apparently, it seems to us at the CWU that the Minister of Public Utilities, Marvin Gonzales, is only concerned about the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA), not addressing the issues at hand with the restructuring exercise underway at the state entity (TSTT) and the alleged fraud. It appears his primary focus is solely on WASA and not paying any attention whatsoever to TSTT. Only when the media contacts him does he respond.”
Over a month ago, the union called for a probe into the allegations by former TSTT CEO Lisa Agard, during a Joint Select Committee session, that she was prevented from publicly clarifying information regarding the October 9 data breach. Agard was terminated weeks after the cyberattack.
Ogeer said the cybersecurity report on TSTT has been delayed because a new board hasnot been appointed. She said TSTT has plummeted into an abyss of uncertainty, noting the union is gravely concerned about its direction.
The union also said it was concerned TSTT had presented skewed financials.
She said, “What they have actually said is that in the first nine months of this financial year, revenue continued to follow an upward trajectory based on the performance of the last three quarters. So as far as I can recall, and this executive could recall and say, TSTT is well on its way to exceeding the prior annual revenue.”
However, Ogeer said based on the decline in revenue observed throughout the industry, and as was indicated by the annual TSTT market reports spanning 2009-2020, the question arose as to how such colossal profit materialised.
Attempts to reach Gonzales yesterday were unsuccessful. Calls to TSTT chairman Sean Roach also went unanswered. —With reporting by Otto Carrington