BTL Defends Merger Push, Says Efficiency Key to Protecting Consumers

Tonight, Belize Telemedia Limited is making its case, plain and simple, as public scrutiny grows over its proposed merger with Speednet. The big question on everyone’s mind: can BTL keep expanding its services, hold the line on prices, and continue pushing Belize’s digital transformation without fully consolidating? So, we put that directly to BTL Chairman Mark Lizarraga. And his answer was blunt: without greater efficiency, something’s gotta give, whether that’s dividends, investment, or the benefits consumers enjoy today.

 

Shane Williams

“Can BTL achieve its objectives without the full consolidation that was originally proposed?”

 

Mark Lizarraga, Chairman, Belize Telemedia Limited

“Look, as an essential service provider and the role we are asked to play in our digital transformation going forward, we need money – lots of money, okay. And the only way we’re going to be able to have that money is through efficiency. Technology have a very short lifespan and they’re very expensive and we have a small population so it no makes sense to make we the waste because it robs us of the ability to continue to spread our services throughout the country. Right? To expand our services, to lower prices, which by the way we’ve made a commitment to not raise prices for the next two years and to look at certainly how the consumers can benefit either through more offerings or lower prices. So for us to continue with the responsibility that we have in this digital age. If we want to transform our country digitally, because of the efficiencies that this digital transformation will bring, we have to be able to invest and invest in a very expensive industry. So if we don’t have the efficiencies, something will have to give: either dividends, either benefits, either maintenance to our existing infrastructure or lower prices.”