Vandalised cables: GTT offers $1M reward for info on perps

In light of repeated wilful damage to its fibre-optic cable network, GTT has disclosed that the company would be offering $1 million for information that would lead to the incarceration of the vandals.

This was disclosed by GTT Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Justin Nedd at a press briefing at the Public Telecommunications Ministry on Wednesday.

“We hope that with the reward; we get more people coming out to say what they saw that will lead to the conviction of criminal elements and the reward is $1 million,” Nedd stated.

The CEO believes that rogue elements are continually sabotaging the company’s fibre-optic network and noted there were four such instances of sabotage recorded over the last 10 days. The affected communities included Mahdia, Linden, Mabaruma, Bartica, Kwakwani and Ituni where mobile, and Internet and landline telephone services to over 20,000 homes were disrupted.

Nedd explained that the damaged fibre-optic cables were like pieces of broken glass, which, according to him, have no value unlike copper wire, which is often vandalised. He stressed that the vandals “know what they are doing” and added that the damage to the cables was destroying the country’s communications infrastructure and Information Communications Technology (ICT) growth.

“What we have is damage to the nation’s infrastructure by criminal-minded organisations or individuals who don’t want to see our country progress. It is clear that we have enemies and having enemies means that we stand up for something. The recent spate of sabotage will only impair ICT growth and growth of Guyana,” the GTT CEO told the media briefing.

Under the nation’s laws, persons who destroy various categories of communications equipment are liable to a misdemeanour and can face up to two years in jail.

The hotline number to report vandalism is 0908.