PM Backs Chebat, Says Stalled BTL Needs Merger to Survive

Prime Minister John Briceño is backing up his Public Utilities Minister tonight, doubling down on the message coming out of Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting. Minister Michel Chebat told reporters that BTL’s proposed merger won’t create a monopoly, pointing out that Belize has more than twenty‑three broadband providers already operating in the market. But the Prime Minister went even further, warning that BTL’s growth has stalled, and without major changes, the company is heading for a crash.

 

Michel Chebat, Minister of Public Utilities

“I don’t know that there is a monopoly. As far as I know there are about twenty-three other broadband providers in this country, so I don’t know that there is a monopoly.”

 

Reporter

“Mister Chebat does not believe you can say there is a monopoly when you have twenty-three other broadband providers, but BTL in this move when the twenty-three others were in play you are singling out three, so if you want to consolidate and monopolize why not bring all of them in?”

 

Prime Minister John Briceño

“That is not true because you have access to broadband services. Broadband services is available for about twenty other companies. That we presently have. And, but the idea is that on the entire consolidation of the industry it is a matter where BTL, we did not go into that discussion in Cabinet. We just discussed the Smart/ BTL, but from what we understand is that they are trying to create efficiencies. And remember tax payers invested almost seven hundred million dollars in BTL and if they do not make changes it is going to crash. As it is right now in their projections, without a consolidation their growth is flatlining for the next five years and while revenues are not going up cost is going up. So they has to be a way where they could consolidate and make more efficiencies in the industry that would make BTL more successful and by extension Social Security and all our tax payers.”

 

Reporter

“Do you expect more legislation than that S.I. for the monopoly?”

Prime Minister John Briceño

“It is not a monopoly but we want a more active Public Utilities Commission to put more regulations and where necessary to amend the law we will do so.  1:24

The Prime Minister is standing firmly behind Minister Chebat, repeating the message that Belize’s broadband market is far from a monopoly and that BTL’s push for consolidation is about survival, not domination. He warns that without major changes, the company’s growth will stall while its costs continue to climb, putting taxpayers’ investment at risk. The government says stronger regulation is coming, but insists this move is about keeping BTL afloat.”