Telecommunications in Jamaica

Since the mid 1980s telecommunication in Jamaica has been marked by major restructuring in ownership and controversy over regulatory control. The government's majority ownership in the overall system moved from over 80 percent in 1987 to no equity ownership by 1990, while the British transnational Cable & Wireless moved from a total holding of 9 percent to 79 percent of the overall industry. The separate domestic telephone provider and the international carrier were merged into the single entity, Telecommunications of Jamaica Ltd, creating the Caribbean's largest company in terms of annual turnover.