A Digicel telephone site in the Flower Hill area of Montego Bay, St. James, was destroyed by fire on election day, October 16, after demands for protection money were not met by the company.

Company officials told The Sunday Gleaner yesterday that the cost to the company was in excess of $15 million, to restore its operation.

Digicel has also asked the police not to proceed with investigations.

Seamus Lynch, the company's top man in Jamaica, said the fire knocked out communication between other sites in the area, as no satellite communication was possible.

"A fire was set to a key site in Flower Hill on election day. It burnt all the cable and knocked out around 20 sites in the western end of the island. We actually issued a press release saying that there was vandalism to one of our sites, because people are unable to make calls in particular areas," Mr. Lynch said.

According to him, "When we went up to the site and investigated, we found it was genuine vandalism. We don't pay protection money anywhere. Our philosophy on the matter is that we were offering an essential service into a lot of areas that never had telecoms service. I don't support the concept and Digicel does not support the concept of paying protection money. It is something that we are not engaged in," Mr. Lynch emphasised.

He said, demands for protection money was not widespread, and at the time of the fire, residents in the community who were themselves Digicel's customers were unable to use their telephones.

According to him, "The majority of the residents in the area are very supportive of Digicel's efforts to offer a service, but there were one or two rogue individuals who were involved."

Meanwhile, Cable and Wireless Jamaica Limited said it has been faced with demands for protection money, but it has also refused to pay.

"From time to time, we have had difficulties with such request," a source at the company said. "Some of the demands are made by persons carrying Cable and Wireless' phones. But, I must be honest and say, we are either allowed to do business here or we go elsewhere."

Cable and Wireless West Indies last week signed a US$104 million investment in the region, 67 per cent of which will be in Jamaica. The source said, C&WJ, has in excess of J$5 billion investment here, and it employed more that 2,000 persons.

Mr. Lynch said, Digicel has decided to have dialogue with the residents, rather than pursue the destruction of its site further. It has also decided to adopt an engagement approach, in other communities where it is operating, before erecting sites.

He said, when the residents were called and were told of the extent of the damage, many were alarmed. Since then, they have been co-operating.

The Coral Gardens police in Montego Bay, said Digicel first reported the matter to them and cited its refusal to pay protection money as the reason for the fire. However, Digicel was also installing a perimeter fence around the area of the cell site and brought in its own labourers.

Allegations are that men from the area demanded employment. It was unclear if those demands were met.

Mr. Lynch confirmed that Digicel was installing the fence, but said, "It is our practice to use some individuals from the areas in which we are working." Digicel leased lands on which its sites are erected and leases are over 10-15 year periods. He said leases are also re-negotiable.

The investigating officer, Detective Sergeant C. J. Clarke, from the Coral Gardens police station, responding to The Sunday Gleaner request for an interview, said the company has asked him not to pursue the matter.

"That incident has taken place. We have spoken to the (Digicel) people. They do not wish to do anything about it. In that, they have come and they have had meeting and dialogue with the persons," he said.

Asked if Digicel had dialogue with the persons who burnt the site, he said, "Digicel has had meetings with the community. And the community was pleased with the effort. So there is nothing much that we (the police) can do," Detective Sergeant Clarke said.

Since it began operation two years ago, Mr. Lynch said Digicel has invested US$250 million and has provided employment for 400 Jamaicans.

The Sunday Gleaner was unable to contact any representatives from Centennial Digital Jamaica last week.

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