represent a reduction in telecommunications costs to 86 countries, not including the US, the UK and Canada.

As provided for by the Telecommunications Act, the long distance carrier published the proposed changes yesterday, inviting any objections to be forwarded to the Department of Telecommunications within 21 days.

Cable & Wireless spokesman, John Instone, said the company had reduced rates several times in the last five years, consistent with a policy of passing on savings that may arise out of "ongoing negotiations with other international carriers''.

He also commented: "It's a matter of record that Cable & Wireless has never increased international direct dial rates. This current notice details reductions of somewhere between 12 and 25 percent, in one case 40 percent, in international calling rates to over 80 countries.'' But there is no relief proposed for direct dial to popular cities in North America currently at $1.15 a minute or Britain at $1.50 a minute. In the case of the UK, the US and Canada, the rate has dropped just a dime since 1991.

Direct dial callers to the Cayman Islands would save 30 cents a minute under the proposed rate of $1.20, a 20 percent savings from the current rate of $1.50, which has been in effect since at least 1991.

The same holds true for Anguilla, Antigua, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St.

Vincent, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos.

To Hong Kong the proposed $1.50 a minute is an improvement over the current $2.50 and the $2.75 charged in 1991.

The Portuguese community would be able to call home for $1.75 a minute, a reduction of 12.5 percent from the current $2.00 (1991: $2.75).

Bahamas would drop from $2.00 (1991:$2.50) to $1.50 a minute. The same is true for US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. Direct dial to Australia would be $1.50 a minute, 25 per cent cheaper than the present $2.00, and a third less than the $2.25 it cost in 1991.

Austrian residents would reap a bonanza under the proposed changes. It cost direct diallers to the landlocked European country $2.75 a minute back in 1991. They pay $2.50 right now and it would cost them $1.50 a minute under the proposed new rates, a whopping 40 percent decrease from the current cost.

Our Italian friends would pay $1.50 under the new rates, a 25 per cent improvement over the current $2.00 a minute (1991:$2.75). Filipinos would pay $2.00 a minute, down from $2.50 (1991:$3.00).

Some of the most expensive places to direct dial to at $2.50 per minute include Pakistan, The Ivory Coast and Cook Islands, although operator assisted, person-to-person calls to those same destinations cost you $12.50 just to get connected.