The proposed BTL-Speednet acquisition is facing its strongest public challenge yet. Tonight, four major social partners are calling for the brakes to be put on the deal, saying Belizeans still do not have enough information about a transaction that could transform the country’s telecommunications sector. The Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Belize Network of NGOs, the National Evangelical Association of Belize, and the National Trade Union Congress of Belize say the matter is no longer just about one company buying another. It is about transparency, competition, governance, and whether a strategic national asset is being handled in public interest. In a joint statement issued today, the group says it has been in discussions with government, BTL, the Public Utilities Commission, and other stakeholders since January. But those talks, they say, have not answered key questions about the legality of the acquisition, the valuation of Speednet, possible conflicts of interest, consumer protection, and the future of workers. Their position is blunt: no further step should be taken until the public gets the full picture.
Labor and Opposition Align on Issues of National Concern
It is not every day that organized labor and the political opposition sit around the same table. But with public concern mounting over the Mira Millions controversy and the proposed BTL/Speednet acquisition, the National Trade Union Congress of Belize and the United Democratic Party met in Belize City this morning to compare notes and chart a joint response. NTUCB President Ella Waight says the meeting was not only about today’s issues, but about opening the door for more regular dialogue between the labor movement and political stakeholders on matters of national importance.
Ella Waight
Ella Waight, President, NTUCB
“The issue obviously came up with the acquisition and both of us, the opposition and the NTUCB are still at a point saying no to the acquisition at this point. We don’t have enough information. We don’t know about the legality of the process. So, we are on the same page with that. On the way we moved forward, there were some suggestions from both ends. We do have to go back with our different constituencies to those suggestions. NTUCB goes through a process where we have to engage with our members on those decisions and then we have a vote. We have been meeting with the social partners, and we began to chart a way on these issues. My job is to go to our meeting with the social partners and bring these recommendations from the opposition and see if they would agree to these recommendations on the way forward.”
Paul Lopez
“Collaborating can look like all these entities together taking to the streets.”
Ella Waight
“I cannot answer that right now. That entails NTUCB’s decision on the way forward. But believe me that have crossed our minds. If they do not listen to us via communication, via having a sit down with the government on the way forward, it is not something we like to do. We do not like to interrupt any service in this country. We do not want to interrupt working doing their job. That is how they get paid. But everyone gets to a point where they say, if do not listen to us then we have to take action.”
UDP Leader Signals Action After Meeting with NTUCB
While NTUCB President Ella Waight stopped short of saying whether the unions and the UDP will join forces in street protests, UDP Leader Tracy Panton says the public should expect to see action in the days ahead. Panton spoke with us moments after leaving the meeting room, where both sides discussed what they describe as urgent national issues. Here is what she told us.
Tracy Panton
Tracy Panton, Leader, United Democratic Party
“It is sufficient to say we had a very productive meeting, almost two hours. We discussed the issues we have common concerns, particularly the national issues before us. BTL being one of those important issues that requires the kind of collaboration to ensure that government understands that there are a number of organization, including the NTCUB that share the same concerns. Also we discussed specific activities we could do together to ensure our voices are heard and amplified by the executive of the government to ensure our message is not lost, that the consolidation of the telecommunication industry, the way it is being handled is not acceptable to us and does not serve the national development interest of this country.”
Paul Lopez
“Was any decision taken for both movements to come together and take to the streets.’
Tracy Panton
“We are not about to discuss or divulge the specific activities we have agreed to. Those will unfold over the next couple of days. Obviously, the members of the general council need to update their stakeholders and we have an obligation to update our stakeholders as well and then we move forward.”
Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.
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