PM Says BTL Has to Find “Some Way” to Pay Severances

Prime Minister John Briceño says former employees of Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL) have a strong case in their demand for severance pay, adding that the company may have to find the money to settle the claims.

Briceño told News Five that he believes there is no statutory limitation that would prevent the former workers from being paid.

“I do believe there is a strong case for these employees to get what is owed,” the Prime Minister said.

Briceño added that the issue is currently before the BTL board, which was scheduled to discuss the matter at a meeting today. He said that regardless of the outcome, a solution must be found.

“At the end of the day, some way has to be found to pay those people,” he said.

The comments come as the Belize Communications Workers for Justice staged three days of protest outside BTL’s headquarters, demanding severance payments owed to more than 100 former employees. 

The group has questioned why the company is moving toward a proposed acquisition of Speednet, reportedly valued at about eighty million dollars, while severance payments remain unpaid.