Dennie Quill, Contributor

Do we really need another cellular provider in Jamaica? The Government has announced with plum satisfaction the fact that a new cellular licence was issued to a local company earlier this month. Yes, the Government stands to earn some $500 million from this deal.

But, I believe it is time that someone takes a serious look at the ethical side of this business. Someone needs to assess the expansion of this medium of communication in the context of its rising importance as a social technology.

There needs to be a national debate on the potential of this powerful technology to move the country forward in its development quests. The intention is not to knock cellular technology because, undoubtedly, the advent of high-speed cellular service has made lifemore convenient for scores of people. For those in far-flung areas of the country, it is a lifeline to the world. It has allowed business to be conducted in real time whether one is sitting at a desk in Kingston, or vacationing on the north coast, or travelling overseas. But there is another side to cellular technology.

Scores of unemployed youngsters are parading with two or more cellphones attached to their waists or glued to their ears. Public annoyance increases when people out on a date are continuously chatting away on their cellphones.

Mobile-obsessed youngsters

They ring in church, at funerals, in Parliament - they are everywhere. Jamaica is bursting at the seams with mobile phones. Mobile-obsessed youngsters are not content with owning any cellphone, it has to be a particular brand with super capabilities.

Cellphones have been used in the commission of crimes, for example, bank customers have been targeted after making large withdrawals and camera phones have been used to garner sensitive information from people's credit cards.

There have been health concerns about the radiation emitted by these devices, and cellphone use can also be a driving hazard. Another concern has to do with the fact that pornography and other inappropriate material are being disseminated via cellphones to minors. I have sketched a few of the problems associated with cellphones to support my argument that it is high time that a code of practice for cellphone be introduced. Government ought not to be preoccupied only with enriching the treasury, it should give due consideration to the cultural implications of these emerging technologies.

TURKS AND CAICOS AND HAITIANS

On another matter, it was pretty interesting to read a report on a speech by Member of Parliament and Speaker for the House of Representative for the Turks and Caicos Islands, Karen Delancey, who was emphasising Caribbean unity when she addressed the People's National Party North Trelawny Constituency Committee awards ceremony.

Turks and Caicos, the former British dependency, treats Haitians who service and build their tourist industry like dirt. Children of Haitian parentage were denied entry into schools recently because they did not have appropriate documents. The only shanty area in these exceedingly rich islands is called 'The Bight' and is occupied by Haitians.

According to Ms. Delancey: "The CARICOM ideal, which is rapidly becoming a reality, is pivotal to the further growth and development of the region as an economic force in this our ever-increasing mega-state world." She should tell that to the relatives of the 61 Haitians who were killed in the waters off Turks and Caicos in May when their rickety boat was rammed twice by a Turks and Caicos vessel.

This is the story of the 78 survivors. Interestingly, the premier, Michael Missick, visited Jamaica a few weeks back and not one question was apparently asked of him about this scandalous behaviour!

"We in these God-given islands must see ourselves as one people with one economic goal; the Jamaican people have always had my utmost respect," said Ms. Delancey. Indeed!