1. The Caribbean Single Market & Economy - The Future of Telecommunications - Anton E. Edmunds Executive Director Caribbean Central American Action CANTO 21 st Annual Conference St. Kitts Marriott Resort

2. Caribbean Central American Action (CCAA) is a private, independent organization whose mission is Strengthening The Third Border ®. It serves its goal by stimulating a constructive dialogue between the private and public sectors to improve the policy and regulatory environments for business on both the international and local level. The organization conducts policy-oriented programs in sectors such as agribusiness, apparel, energy, environment, financial services, intellectual property rights, telecommunications & information technology, tourism and transportation. CCAA is host to the Miami Conference on the Caribbean Basin, the premier annual gathering of its kind that brings together senior public and private sector leaders from the region, including Heads of State, to discuss trade, economic and policy issues in the Caribbean Basin.

3. CSME Countries Antigua and Barbuda Barbados Belize Dominica Grenada Guyana Jamaica Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Trinidad and Tobago Suriname On the outside: The Bahamas Haiti Montserrat

4. What is the CSME? A regional agreement that will lock the individual economies together into A Single Larger Unified Economic Space. It will remove all restrictions and barriers to trade and economic activity between members countries as well as allow the free movement of nationals. Import duties, tariffs and other quantitative restrictions will be lifted. Allow for the free movement of capital, allow citizens of the CSME to invest in other domiciles without restrictions. Allow for the creation of a wider capital market. Root out discrimination that is currently practiced in terms of allowing CARICOM companies to do business in each others countries. It will act as a Caribbean building block for the FTAA WHAT does this mean for telecommunications as we know it in this region?

5. For the countries of the region – this should mean more and better options For the incumbents, it could mean new players in a relatively small market space For today’s new entrant, it may mean even more competition CSME population will be 6,124,608 Is the market large enough for the providers that we have today and for more competition? With more competition, the fight for share will have become more critical for the survival of smaller service providers Competition

6. Those with access to capital Those willing to expand regionally though partnerships and acquisitions Those willing to be creative in terms of services and public-private sector/partnerships Who Will Survive

7. THE INCUMBENT Who we blame for all issues Without whom, we would still be underdeveloped The publicly traded company who has used debt to lay down the infrastructure which allows us to be, as countries and people, where we are today WHAT DO THEY DESERVE A certain amount of respect and admiration for their foresight The Players

8. THE NEW ENTRANT We all believe that they will bring down costs Will bring in new technology Will encourage if not force the incumbent to provide better service WHAT DO THEY DESERVE Access to the market Transparency in terms of government action The Players

9. WHAT SHOULD WE EXPECT Challenge providers to provide more penetration Increased linkages of our educational and health systems More creativity in the services that they provide No hiding of technology and new products from us That they will be good corporate citizens Roll out of new technologies promised Are new entrants the solution/panacea that everyone has thought they would be in terms of costs as well as new services The Consumer

10. WHAT ARE OUR EXPECTATIONS Transparency across this integrated region One set of rules and regulations Clearer understanding by governments of the fact that the industry is driven by size of market Realistic expectations as to what services are needed Creativity in terms of deal making with both new and old providers Design policy based on regional and international best practices/not academic theory Do not be an impediment to investment/let $$$$$$ flow Allow business community be your guide as well as real socio-economic needs The Government

11. THE PRIVATE SECTOR The driver of the economy/driver of service & technology needs Financial services Tourism/hospitality Telecom providers in this integrated marketplace will need to engage the business community as to their needs and expectations As businesses merge across the waters, do we really believe that corporate heads will allow multiple vendors/they will consolidate the services that they purchase They will also look for providers who can allow for increased mobility for employees Telecom providers today need to mobilize them to advocate for local and regional changes prior to this merger of economies and companies The Business Sector

12. The region will also need to see real linkages between health/education and telecom/should not be only about the region being consumers Challenge those who sell technology that support the industry in the region to step up/belly up to the bar and be good corporate citizens - sponsor schools - sponsor hospitals - sponsor more than conferences Other Opportunities

13. Many of you may not even want a CSME You want to keep your piece of the pie to yourself, but an integrated region is inevitable Only way the region can survive-if we speak, trade and develop as a block Only way to draw capital to our small islands/countries markets Only if one feels comfortable that they can invest in one domicile today and another next month can we see the investment that we want For those sitting here today thinking you can go it alone-forget it. Expand into new markets/partner with other entities now rather than get bought out by those with access to capital later The market tomorrow will not only be open to those sitting next to you but to an increasingly aggressive external community who sees the integrated region as a marketplace worth getting into THE TIME IS NOW Do You Really Want Integration?