LIBERALIZATION IN THE DUTCH CARIBBEAN
Telecom first, airlines to follow suit
The government of the Netherlands Antilles has been in favor of liberalizing the telecommunication market for may years now. Liberalization of the telecom market means opening it up to domestic and foreign competition, subject to certain regulatory principles.
Basically, liberalization means competition; competition means price levels determined by the market, not by a monopoly. This will benefit the consumers. In a free market telecom companies will, in principle, also be more innovative, more service-minded, offering a better and wider range of services, including service packages, for example, in an attempt to keep their customers …
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DUTCH CARIBBEAN COURT DECISION IN TELECOM CASE
Scarlet about to enter telecom market in Sint Maarten
On 18 November 2008, the Administrative Court in Sint Maarten ruled that the Executive Council of Sint Maarten was not authorized to refuse Scarlet a business license for the provision and operation of international telecommunications services in Sint Maarten (click here for the judgment).
Scarlet, represented by Dr. Douwe Boersema of the law firm Spigthoff in Curaçao, appealed through the courts against the decision of the authorities in Sint Maarten to deny it such a license based on a moratorium on new telecom companies. The moratorium …
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