Cabinet Doesn’t Have Full Details of BTL/SpeedNet Deal

Concerns are growing over the proposed BTL deal after Immigration Minister Kareem Musa confirmed to News Five on Monday that Cabinet has not been fully briefed on the agreement, despite months of closed-door discussions.

On Tuesday, during a press briefing, Opposition Leader Tracy Panton said the proposal was “never” discussed in Cabinet and was, even more surprisingly, not “fully disclosed to the members of the BTL board.”

On Tuesday, the Cabinet met, but reports indicate the issue was only briefly mentioned.

Panton questioned why such a major national decision is moving forward without proper Cabinet oversight. While reaffirming support for investment, she warned that transparency cannot be sacrificed.

She noted that because BTL is constitutionally defined as a public institution, it is therefore subject to public scrutiny.

“At whatever point this country decides that consolidation serves its best interest… it will require certain non-negotiables,” she said, adding that “the people must decide, not a government, or six people in a room.”

Does this mean that she is not opposed to the acquisition itself, so long as it is transparent?

Panton later made clear her party’s position: “We do not support this deal. We don’t even have information available to us to say yes or no.”