Dear Editor,
Permit me to say something to Melford Nicholas who has earned the name of Minister for Misinformation. This title was bestowed upon him by members of the public for his many gaffes in almost every post-cabinet news briefing. You would think that he would take time out to do some research, pay attention during the Cabinet meetings and come to report accurately on the Government’s policies and decisions. He is certainly not qualified to be the Cabinet spokesman based on his many inaccuracies and his general lack of knowledge about what is going on around him.
On the constituency front, Melford Nichoals cannot speak of one innovative or creative venture he has undertaken in St. John’s City East since he first took up office in 2014. He has a thing or two to learn from his colleague E.P Chet Greene who is busy empowering his constituents with several new and creative initiatives. In fact, many of this constituents have forgotten they elected him.
As a Minister of Government, Melford Nicholas has failed miserably. After being in office for some six years he has done nothing to Lower Telecommunications rates. What we pay for technology is the highest in the OECS. To make matters worse, our service is the poorest. While our neighbours are enjoying number portability, we have not been able to do so, thanks to Melford. He has failed to enact the Telecommunications Bill which at this pace may never see the light of day.
At ABS, Melford’s sole priority is to defend the General Manager, come what may, while ignoring the genuine concerns of staff. He recruits foreign journalists, pay them highly and acts on the instruction of his GM with regards to other staff members. He has caused a mass exodus of some of Antigua’s most talented son’s and daughters from state media. The improvements he speaks about is merely cosmetic and the promised ABS building will remain a dream.
You would think that with all these issues Melford would have his hands full but no. He still finds the time to talk nonsense and do things that bring no real value to people. Just take a look at the 2014 ABLP manifesto and you will see what he has achieved nothing.
Melford you have no authority to speak on any issue until you clean up your business.
Go and take several seats.
Tech Guy
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You are so right on this and he isn’t the only one. Too many are in this field for self enrichment. The sad thing is the people who voted such people in are happy with the mere bread cumbs they are fed.
If there is any truth to the above, then the electorate will determine if he deserves another term. Until then the opinion can be viewed as a non-supporter of him or the administration.
Remember this is the guy who kicked Lovell to the curb. He has the backing and support of multitudes. Overall, his job performance is to be commended. He is a man of the people.
Nice try, Melford. The last sentence gave you away.
If is one thing this Minister is not, is of the people.
He has no qualms about even expressing that he is above those he serves.
And he did not even meet with his staff. Too beneath him, I suppose. Because it’s not lack of time for sure. He found time during a pandemic and while starting to fire staff to come on here and everywhere to defend deary GM.
The higher monkey climb though.
Typical comment from “antiguan citizen”. Never offers an original opinion but always a sad back-up singer for the likes of tabor, lovell & Co. Ltd.
The truth is not an opinion. It is a fact.
No lie has been detected in the letter. Whether the writer is for ABLP, UPP, DNA, Go Green or none of the above, I dare a person to publish facts to the contrary. His constituency is one of the most rundown on island. His ardent supporters don’t even have a proper foundation for their homes.
Go online and check Flow and Digicel rates around the Caribbean and compare with the rates in Antigua. We still have crappy service.
Number portability is still a “plan.”
Many staff has left ABS under the dreadful hand of she who shall not be named. The station’s website looks like it was designed by a computer science dropout. These are just facts.
Melford has provided ambiguous information on numerous occasions at one time calling news of a new case of COVID, “fake news” only to come on Ableless with egg on his face to apologize. He’s just a failure. I want to know what she who shall not be named has for him why he only seems to spring into action when matters arise that concern her.
You are right. Our island should be in a much better state than this. Too much greed and selfishness going on for decades.
Some developments the writer seems to have closed his/her eyes to:
1. Under Melford, internet rates in A&B have actually decreased. This was propelled by APUA’s telecom fiber investment in select areas of the country. Persons are now able to get about 10 mbps of internet for 120 ec a month when before this it was near 200 EC for 1 mbps. Its under his stewardship we moved to the status of having broadband since the 1 mg we had before was insufficient.
2. The Antigua and Barbuda Intellectual registry has been digitized under his stewardship
3. ABS has now moved to a digital platform
4. With Melford’s push, the rotten water pipes have been replaced in key ares of his constituency
5. Work has started on the flooding issues near woods, while his opponent did nothing but make empty promises
6. The land registry has now bee digitized hence making it easier for agents to quickly get info
7. Police records have been digitized
8. A look at “2020 UPDATE OF FIXED BROADBAND RATES ACROSS THE CARIBBEAN REGION” by ICT pulse, Feb 14, 2020 will show A&B internet prices are within the regional average. We are not the highest in the OECS, Anguilla ad Saint Vincent are more expensive. The highest average prices are Virgin Island (199), Cayman islands (195)..Anguilla(184) , Saint Vincent & Grenadines (172), A&B (169), SKN (157), SLU (118)
9. Under his stewardship we finally got 4G island wide via APUA, since Digicel sold the former admin a pig in a basket (fake 4g)
10. His Caribbean Telecommunications colleagues recognizing his ability appointed him Caribbean Telecommunications Union president in 2017
Plenty words for surface “achievements”.
ABS digitized? Ok, the building is still crap. The workers’ backs are still being broken and they are treated poorly and disrespectfully. When they went on strike Minister of Misinformation ignored their plight, didn’t even PRETEND to care…and then threatened unlawfully and BOLDLY to withhold their pay.
Now during this pandemic, apparently if workers post legitimate concerns at ABS on their personal page, the Minister swiftly transfers them. Is that suppressing information?
Type your long lists, the reality is that his contribution has been net negative and embarrassing.
Oh, actually you can add to your list: protect his GM at all costs, even if it makes him look foolish.
Obviously you work there and have a gripe and clearly you have now affirmed that the fake issues raised in this letter, are not your issues. Is it that you lack skills to find work elsewhere why you now engage inn termite type action? You tell a lie when you suggest the working conditions at ABS have not improved during Melford’s tenure. Recall under Mansoor the myriad of issues:
“Journalists and other media personnel at the Antigua and Barbuda Broadcasting Service, (ABS), from both the radio and television broadcasting houses, are today staging strike action in Antigua, seeking to force the hand of the Baldwin Spencer led government towards honouring commitments made to them. ..Our source also explained to MNI Alive that the strike action today was taken to force the government on its pre-elections 2009 commitment for salary increases, the clearing of back-pay arrears and payment of risk allowance. Additionally, we were told that the majority of the staff were promised a raise of EC$500 or more, which never materialised.
Another condition highlighted for the strike action, is that of the working conditions the workers have to endure. “The toilet, when flushed, the water runs over into the new room and the staff have to work in it!”
“Also the inadequacy of the facilities includes the malfunctioning of the air-conditioning units. Plus there are only three of eight bathrooms working, with one of the three unable to be locked from the inside. There is also an issue too to do with the lack of transportation to carry out our media functions.” Says our source. ” see Media Workers At ABS Radio And TV Take Strike Action Against Antigua Government. May 2014. ”
Much of the problems highlighted, during the strike, have been rectified under Melford. You well know there are plans to construct a new building for ABS. The plans have already bee shared with staff. The Cabi staff have received their increase. The Sealy building has seen extensive work done to rectify the problems. Toilets have bee fixed and in termite type activity, some persons have recently vandalized some of the bathrooms
Lol.
It took 5 years to address the toilet and workers still have to suffer the smells.
Also, now before an election rushing to do work on the building while employees are there and not caring about the impact on their health.
Spare me. Every administration has “plans”. That holds no water.
Give someone else a chance at the Ministry jack.
He can tek up his precious GM and walk with her in a next Ministry.
At least spread out the bad treatment, if you wont put an end to it.
ABS staff are not dogs, they and their families are humans who also vote.
What has he done to rectify the complaints against the unqualified GM? Do not ignore that glaring issue.
Why, even with begging, did Mrs. Tazwell….highly qualified and making improvements…..have to RUN again?
Forget the picky head staff ya don’t care about. There is a serious problem when you cannot retain qualified people.
Did Mrs. Tazwell lack skills to find employment elsewhere?
The simplistic answer is “if you nuh lub the bad treatment you ah get, then left”.
But that does nothing to actually solve the problem. Get to the root.
Workers do not deserve to be getting bad words from Management and so. Come on.
Nothing unreasonable in saying to treat workers decently.
But time longer than rope. Everybody will get their karma.
WHY is he protecting that GM all costs? WHY? Nobody else really supports this GM. It’s time for the lady to take a break, and retire. Antigua needs a modern professional at the helm of its media enterprise. There are some great people working there, as well as some who simply said “enough is enough”, and moved on. Poor management style. It’s sad. Massa day type management style finish. All of that yelling and screaming is out of order.
That is an excellent question as to WHY he is protecting her.
Where is Mrs. Sharon Tazwell who was begged to return and apparently couldn’t stand it and so left.
Unlike the GM, Mrs. Tazwell is supremely qualified in the field. Why was the Ministry unable to retain her??
Speaks volumes!
1. Please go to telecom companies’ sites and do the comparisons for yourself and you will see the high prices in Antigua compared to other territories.
2. What good is digitization with video quality that looks like it’s been shot with a Razr phone? Okay, I’m being extra but anyone with a keen eye can see the camera quality isn’t particularly crisp.
3. Also, what are “key areas” in his constituency? Antigua is 108 sq miles. As you blink, you move from Melford’s to Max’s constituency. Blink and move the other way, you end up in Gaston’s. A tiny constituency like Melford’s own should be well- cared for but you really talking about “key areas”? The place is trash.
4. Also, police records have not been fully digitized. Tap lie.
5. What has he done as president of this prestigious body since 2017?
P.S. A manager he goes to lengths to protect may eventually be his downfall and mar his name. A good name is rather to be chosen… and when you protect a person with a rotten character it says a lot about you.
As I told someone else who suggested SKN has a entry level package for 75: Guy the false statement was that A&B is the highest. It is not based on “2020 UPDATE OF FIXED BROADBAND RATES ACROSS THE CARIBBEAN REGION” by ICT pulse, Feb 14, 2020” As far as SKN, simply go to Flow’s SK website and you will see the cheapest package is 99.00 (VAT not included). Note the VAT there is some 2% higher than ANU 17% vs 15 %here) The highest speed is 6 mbps for that package. Including VAT you are looking at $117.00. Now go to APUA’s website, under broadband packages. Its 115.00 for 10 mbps (their lowest package) and VAT is included. So in essence you get almost double the data for $2.00 less. Boss know when you are blessed. Where SKN beats us price wise is in terms of the higher bandwidths (50 Mbps) and more is where SKN beats us
This letter is spot on.
This Minister is an embarrassment. He has no care at all for how the staff at ABS are treated or their conditions.
Not to mention he has already started to fire staff at ABS, just before an election. So you know what is likely even more after.
He needs to not only have several seats but get over his haughty self.
check the cost in other island like st kitt see the price for 10 mbps 75 ec dollars check it and let me know
Guy the false statement was that A&B is the highest. It is not based on “2020 UPDATE OF FIXED BROADBAND RATES ACROSS THE CARIBBEAN REGION” by ICT pulse, Feb 14, 2020” As far as SKN, simply go to Flow’s SK website and you will see the cheapest package is 99.00 (VAT not included). Note the VAT there is some 2% higher than ANU 17% vs 15 %here) The highest speed is 6 mbps for that package. Including VAT you are looking at $117.00. Now go to APUA’s website, under broadband packages. Its 115.00 for 10 mbps (their lowest package) and VAT is included. So in essence you get almost double the data for $2.00 less. Boss know when you are blessed. Where SKN beats us price wise is in terms of the higher bandwidths (50 Mbps) and more is where SKN beats us
# somefacts
Your comments are spot on. Factual information is the perfect antidote to ignorance.
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