Panton Questions PUC’s Role in Telecom Buyout Review

The Public Utilities Commission will ultimately decide whether BTL’s proposed acquisition of Speednet gets the green light. But does the opposition trust the regulator to carry out a thorough and independent review? We asked UDP Leader Tracy Panton that question today, and we also asked what her party plans to do if the PUC approves the deal.

 

Tracy Panton, Leader, United Democratic Party

“I think you have the answer to that. You have the answer to that question. What they say when you put the lipstick on a pig, it is still a pig. We are dressing this up to be something that we know it is not. We understand what this is and it is to enrich a select few without any regard, zero regard for the Belizean people?”

 

Reporter

“So do you protest the PUC.”

 

Tracy Panton

“Are you asking me my strategy ahead of time? We have a joint meeting with the unions on the sixth of this month, Thursday and at that meeting we will determine where we can collaborate, especially on this issue.”

 

Reporter

“Let’s say that there is PSU approval, did you understand back then that there will be legal recourse Belizeans can pursue?”

 

Tracy Panton

“We will Definity look at the legal recourse the country has. It is going to take time. That is the challenge. It is not an immediate fix. But we will pursue what we need to pursue in the interest of standing up for this country. That is what we were elected to do. That is what we are committed to doing.”

 

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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