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FROM
CUBA
Apparent
split between Cuban government and Italian
investors 154a5d
HAVANA, November 25 (cubanet.sergipeconectado.com)
- Italian investors in the Cuban telephone
monopoly are reportedly increasingly unhappy
with their partners in the Cuban government
and might even pull out of the t venture.
The latest and most serious wrinkle between
the partners revolves around delays in payment
of moneys owed by the Cuban side, said a
source within the company. The source could
not name an exact amount, but said it was
substantial, enough to imperil the budget
of the Cuban telephone enterprise, ETECSA,
for 2004.
"If the Italians abandon the business,
all investment plans for public and private
service would go down the drain," said
the company source. Other projects whose
future would become questionable with the
Italians' exit would be a satellite telephony
initiative programmed for next year and
a broadening of cel phone service. A point
of contention there is the fee in pesos
to be charged to Cubans. Foreigners are
currently being charged $0.30 (dollar) per
minute.
Should the Italian investors, who have
been involved in the Cuban telephone business
for some years now, pull out, there are
expectations that a Chinese company is waiting
in the wings to replace them.
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