Fixin’ T&T commends TSTT for Machel stance (with CNC3 video)

Trinidad and Tobago Telecommunications Services (TSTT) yesterday confirmed it had severed ties with soca star Machel Montano, a move which has been commended by NGO Fixin’ T&T. The release was a response to an exclusive T&T Guardian article yesterday detailing the decision made by the board last week.

“TSTT wishes to advise that at this time it has suspended all existing arrangements between Mr. Machel Montano and the company,” the release said. The decision affected b mobile’s Soca in  b Square concert series yesterday. Montano had  been scheduled to appear in the Wednesday slot but yesterday was replaced by chutney star KI (Kris Vishal). 

The decision by the TSTT board comes after Montano was found guilty last December 10 of four counts of assault and one count of the use of obscene language. His sentencing is scheduled for February 25. TSTT reminded its customers yesterday it had been a long-standing supporter of T&T's culture and would continue to follow that path. 

In an immediate response, Fixin' T&T's Kirk Waithe, who last week called on the board to cut ties with Montano, said:
“Fixin’ T&T acknowledges that Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago (TSTT) has suspended all existing arrangements between the company and Mr Machel Montano at this time. “We thank the board and management of TSTT for taking a decision which many believe to be right, honourable and consistent with good corporate social responsibility,” he said in a release.

Bmobile drops Machel's endorsement

Waithe, who had called on the board to cut ties with Montano last week, said TSTT had demonstrated a standard of accountability that many in both public and corporate T&T should follow.  Calls to Montano's cellphone went unanswered yesterday. His mother and manager Liz Montano, meanwhile, said yesterday she was busy with arrangements for his concert, Machel Monday, and could not speak at the time.