SENATE President Paul A. Manglona has asked the Commonwealth Telecommunications Commission to include the abolition of toll charges for inter-island calls in the ongoing Verizon purchase negotiations.
“This is just one commonwealth and there should be no additional charges,” Manglona, R-Rota, said yesterday.
Verizon Micronesia General Manager Anthony Mosley refused to comment. He said he had not read the copy of Manglona’s letter to CTC.
Karry Deets, Verizon sales and marketing manager for Micronesia, also declined to comment. She said they would refer the issue to their legal counsel.
The consortium of Citadel and Tan Holdings wants to buy Verizon’s local exchange service.
Manglona said the right-of-way condition stated in Public Law 10-14 indicated an intention to grant all commonwealth islands “equal levels” of service at affordable prices “without additional charges or tolls for services connecting one island to another.”
The Attorney General’s Office had reiterated and affirmed what was defined in P.L. 10-14, he added.
Last October, Tinian and Rota lawmakers warned that they would pursue “all legal and equitable remedies” against Verizon’s alleged breach of the conditions under the “right-of-way” provisions of P.L. 10-14.
