BTL Chairman Says Anti-acquisition Critics Are Crying Wolf
BTL Chairman Mark Lizarraga is telling Belizeans there is no reason to panic over the proposed merger. He says the deal is about making the company more efficient, increasing revenue, and ultimately delivering greater value to its stakeholders, the Belizean people. But that explanation has not won everyone over, and opposition to the acquisition continues to grow, including from within BTL’s own workforce. Today, we asked Lizarraga whether he believes critics are simply crying wolf. He did not hesitate to say yes.
Paul Lopez
“Is it then your view that the social partners and the opposition and the media owners are crying wolf, they are saying the sky is falling when that is not the case?”
Markhelm Lizarraga, Chairman, BTL
“Absolutely I believe that is the case and we have tried in many different ways to explain to them and I thank you for the opportunity today, even though I have not eaten and I am hungry. But if you really want to listen, if you really want to be objective you will get it. That is all I can say.”
Paul Lopez
“How do you all move forward in the face of your own employees, a majority of them, based on a BCWU press release, rejecting this proposed acquisition.”
Markhelm Lizarraga
“I still need to find out what triggered that is because when we asked the union for support the first time around they said go an poll the whole membership. They didn’t reject but they didn’t support it. They made the whole staff body vote and eighty percent says yes go ahead. Now they represent a percentage of our employees. Now when you look at the numbers =, thirty one percent of the whole staff body that they are talking about, said no. Thirty one percent cant be the majority. But we will meet with them.”
And while the public debates the proposed acquisition, the Public Utilities Commission continues to conduct its assessments in order to make a final determination.
Social Partners Demand Full Disclosure Before Cabinet Talks
The Briceño administration may have extended an invitation for talks, but the Social Partners are not walking into that meeting on government’s terms. In a joint statement today, the Belize Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Belize Network of NGOs, National Evangelical Association of Belize, and National Trade Union Congress of Belize say any discussion with Cabinet must include all four organizations involved in their collective action. They are also reminding government that several major information requests remain unanswered, including financial statements and independent valuation reports. In other words: before there can be meaningful engagement, there must be full disclosure. The Social Partners say they need reasonable time to examine whatever information is eventually provided, so they can participate effectively in any Cabinet-level discussion.
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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