José Leite, an influential member of Anatel?s board whose term has just been renewed for five years, says the Communications Ministry should be more pro-active under the Administration of President Luís Inácio Lula da Silva, who takes office in January. The ministry should advocate and actively promote policies for the sector, he argues. The ministry has been relatively passive since the telecoms industry was privatized. The conspicuous exception was the decision taken a few months ago by Communications Minister Juarez Quadros to hold a public consultation on digital TV policy. Mr Leite also wants to see better relations and synergy between the communications minister and the director-general of Anatel. The former should be free to develop policy and the latter to regulate, he says. Antônio Carlos Valente, deputy director-general of Anatel, believes telecoms policy should be integrated with industrial policy. This would also boost exports of technology. ?Brazil has experience that can be shared with other countries and should act as a leader in Latin America,? he says.
Regulation
