BTL Chairman Pressed on Public Consultation
If Belizeans are the true owners of BTL, how much say did they really have before the board voted on the proposed Speednet acquisition? That question is now front and center after Cabinet Minister Julius Espat publicly came out against the deal last week, saying the public was not properly consulted. Today, we put that concern to BTL Chairman Markhelm Lizarraga and asked what public consultation looked like before the board’s recent vote. We also asked whether Belizeans could end up paying more for services if the Public Utilities Commission approves the acquisition.
Markhelm Lizarraga, Chairman, BTL
“I think we have consulted with everybody that truly wants to be consulted with.”
Paul Lopez
“In what manner?”
Markhelm Lizarraga
“We have had four hour meetings with multiple stakeholder groups, on weekends and all. So anybody that wanted to meet with us has been afforded the ability to meet with us. Also, you have to remember that public consultation came through legally the PUC. That is where the public can go and make all its representation and express all its concerns as well. that was another venue for consultation.”
Paul Lopez
“What will protect Belizean price increases? I understand there will be a freeze, but what happens after that?”
Markhelm Lizarraga
“Because there is a law and because there is a process for pricing in the future.”
Benita Keme-Palacio
“But PUC has it for three years, what happens after that?”
Markhelm Lizarraga
“The law speaks to three years and then after that, subsequent to that, we have to go to the PUC for every price change. Our mandate will be to try and lower prices because the people of this country deserve to get return on that almost seven hundred million dollars that was invested in that company.”
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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