SWIFT move

Dear Editor:

Recently you may have received an update from Southwestern Integrated Fibre Technology (SWIFT) about fibre projects for the Guelph-Eramosa area.

What wasn’t included in their announcement is that SWIFT has decided to fund an area already under development.

I am a local hobby farmer in Ariss. I have taken it upon myself, along with a crew of volunteers, to build and operate a fibre optic network in the area. We even met with SWIFT, who assured us that no one else was funded in the area.

SWIFT’s announcement to fund a corporation to run fibre in an area, which is already being developed via this grassroots initiative, is dismaying and disappointing, and we’re concerned that SWIFT’s decision making process is opaque.

With public funds being sent to the private sector, there must be more openness about the process, and we would love an explanation as to why the progress we’ve made doesn’t warrant their attention.

If you’d like more information about our initiative, I’d be happy to answer any questions.

Philip Mullis, Ariss