Up-Date:
Argentina
The news in Argentina is that there is really no news. (That says it all! I commend WLGS for stating the problem in it's simplest terms!) The government continues to assure World Wide Wireless Communications and Infotel Argentina that the licenses will be reinstated and continues to assure us that there are no substantial issues to prevent the return of the frequencies.
After nearly a year of assorted promises - first to approve the transfer of Infotel's shares to World Wide Wireless and then to reinstate the licenses after they were revoked -- it is fair to say that the promises of the Argentine government are less comforting than they were in the past.
Douglas Haffer and WLGS Director Ramsey Sweis have met with officials of the U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires on several occasions. They are supportive of our demand for reinstatement of licenses and they have received generally the same feedback from the government as the Company has. There are reports that one of the other revoked licensees has met with some success in a legal action it has filed although the reports cannot be confirmed and the impact of any such success on the other revoked licensees is unknown. On the other hand, a published report today (January 11, 2001) indicated that:
The level of frustration with the slow pace of reinstatement has steadily grown in some companies as the process, originally promised to be finished last October, has dragged on into the New Year. WWWC indicated last December to BNAmericas.com that it will consider taking the matter to the next level, possibly the US Trade Representative, if it is not resolved promptly. (Remember, Mr. Haffer is a lawyer!)
Comsat has not studied extreme measures yet, given the regulator's apparent willingness to resolve its license status…. (© BNAmericas.com, January 11, 2001)
Argentina is but one of at least five locations in which WLGS hopes to conduct business. Although it is a substantial market it is not a predominant part of the Company's overall business model. Nevertheless, the reinstatement of its subsidiary's license remains a top priority. (A very clear statement that WLGS does not intend to walk away from Argentina easily.)
Argentina is now entering the height of its summer season, During January, and particularly, February most government offices are only partially staffed and most decision makers are on holiday in places such as Mar del Plata or Punta del Este, Uruguay. As a practical matter, it may be unrealistic to expect any resolution of the issues in Argentina until March at the earliest. (This is the very nature of the Hispanic World. Don't get me wrong here. I took Spanish for 5 1/2 years in school, and I have been to Mexico, Costa Rica, and Honduras. Hispanic people, as a whole, tend to take life much more slowly than the rest of the world. As you've probably heard..."Manana, manana!"{"Tomorrow, tomorrow!"}. It's a common underlying nature of those of Hispanic Culture. All I would like to ask Argentina is..."When will tomorrow be here?"
