PM Denies Acting Alone on BTL-Speednet Deal Rejection

Did Cabinet reject the BTL-Speednet deal, or did the Prime Minister make the call before ministers even met? John Briceño insists the decision was not unilateral and says abandoning the acquisition was the wisest move at this time. He is also downplaying concerns about Speednet’s strongly worded response, arguing that the company is simply preparing to compete in the market Belizeans said they wanted.

 

Prime Minister John Briceño 

“I think you need to understand that whatever we discuss in Cabinet is confidential, but we felt that maybe at this time, and I know people will say, “oh you said at this time”, but simply I believe that Cabinet in its wisdom decided that we should not proceed.”

 

Paul Lopez

“How did you go about consulting other Cabinet members in the face of reports of suspicions that you made a unilateral decision.”

 

Prime Minister John Briceño

“Again, it is a Cabinet matter and I am not at liberty to discuss. But I did not make that decision on my own.”

 

Paul Lopez

“How do you view the Speednet release in the wake of Cabinet’s decision, with some people seeing it as a threat?”

 

Prime Minister John Briceño

“I don’t think it was a threat. I think if you really look at and read it, he was congratulating the public. You want competition and there will be competition. So, that is not how I read it. I did not see it as a threat.”

 

Paul Lopez

“Have you considered asking or imploring BTL to ask PUC to repeal that SI that makes competition a bit more challenging for them?”

 

Prime Minister John Briceño

How does it make it more challenging. You all have been saying you don’t want prices to go up. What has happened in all this discussion, and it is something the court has already determined is one, there must be competition. I think it was the opposition that challenged a contract given to Speednet and the court ruled there should be competition. What the PUC was doing in their deliberation and consultations, they did what the court had been saying, BTL is a dominant operator and as such they had to do that, to declare that. I don’t know what else you are talking about.”

 

Paul Lopez

“I am thinking in the face of Speednet being able to set their prices or even undersell.”

 

Prime Minister John Briceño  

“What the SI says is that they cannot raise their prices, but of course a company can reduce its prices.”

 

PM Defies Union Pressure, Stands Behind BTL Chairman

 

A showdown is brewing between the Briceño administration and Belize’s trade unions. The unions are demanding the immediate resignation of BTL Chairman Markhelm Lizarraga, but the Prime Minister says Lizarraga and his board have done nothing wrong. With several other demands and a ninety-day deadline now on the table, we asked the Prime Minister how his government plans to respond.

 

Prime Minister John Briceño

“But did they do anything wrong. I think you all were jumping ahead of your time. The board did not decided to buy Speednet at that moment. The board decided to do more due diligence to see whether it was feasible to be able to buy. A decision was not made at that time for the board to buy. So, what is it that they did wrong. Can we have another question, I really have to go.”

 

Paul Lopez

“There is this general consensus that the Chairman did not act in the best interest of the public.”

 

Prime Minister John Briceño

“That is there view. I do not agree with them.”

 

Reporter

“In relation to the ninety-day deadline given by the NUTCB in relation to enactment of legislation, bringing into force one legislation passed already and also changes to the PUC commission, and I think changes to the BTL Board, will the government comply with those or see them in the street?”

 

Prime Minister John Briceño

“We will take a look at it.”

 

Paul Lopez

“Do you see it being a possibility, a tripartide system at the board level.”

 

Prime Minister John Briceno

“I will have to take a look at it. I can’t comment on what I have not decided on.”

 

Reporter

“Does BTL pull back its application before the PUC.”

 

Prime Minister John Briceño

“I have no idea. Thanks everybody.”  

 

Will the Briceño administration bow to union pressure or stand its ground? And if the Prime Minister rejects their demands, are Belize’s unions prepared to mobilize? We’ll be watching closely.

 

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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