Sao Tome, Sao Tome and Principe, 16 May – Sao Tome and Principe has decided to suspend the right of telecommunications company Saconets, of Cameroon, to operate from a telecommunications exchange set up in the Sao Tome capital, officials said in Sao Tome Tuesday.

The announcement of suspension of Saconets’ operations was made by the chairman of the archipelago’s telecom regulator, Ager, Orlando Fernandes, who accused the company of having breached the agreement signed between the two parties in May 2005.

As well as non-fulfilment of its financial responsibilities in relation to Sao Tome and Principe, Fernandes accused the operator of irregularities in exploration of its Internet Services for Central African customers.

Fernandes said that as well as not having a bank account in Sao Tome, the company had not paid any taxes despite these having been demanded on several occasions.

The decision to suspend the contract was taken by the Sao Tome and Principe Council of Ministers based on a report from Apger.

The agreement between the parties gave Saconets the right to operate communications services through the exchange set up at Companhia São Tomense de Telecomunicações, CST, which has the monopoly on all communications in the archipelago. (macauhub)