Media Owners Challenge BTL/Speednet Acquisition

Media owners are now joining social partners in challenging the proposed BTL/Speednet acquisition, warning that the merger could have serious implications for press freedom. On Monday, they formed part of a new coalition opposing the deal. Today, we put those concerns directly to BTL Chairman Markhelm Lizarraga. He insisted that BTL is a professional organization, run by professionals, and said anyone who feels aggrieved has legal options. We also asked him whether the approval by BTL’s board of directors means the acquisition is already a done deal.

 

Markhelm Lizarraga, Chairman, BTL

“BTL is a professional company ran by professionals. It is a professional company that can be held liable, that can be subject to lawsuits. We are not in the business of pulling the plug.”

 

Ivan Tesecum, CEO, BTL

“We would want to say that at the end of the day we will also be subjected to PUC oversight, service level agreements. So I think that from that standpoint that is where it is. That is how you are going to be protected. It is not one company no rules. It is that the rules are going to be implemented, enforced, SLAs are going to be kept by the PUC.”

 

Paul Lopez

“The President of BCCI says that as far as he is concerned this is  done deal because of the outcome of the BTL Board of Director’s vote. Are you all even thinking of bypassing the PUC’s determination on this through any sort of legal maneuvering?”

 

Markhelm Lizarraga

“We cannot do that. The law is very clear. We need to have the PUC’s approval. We need to have the PUC’s approval. So we will follow the process as is allowed under law.”’

 

Paul Lopez

“Is it not putting the cart ahead of the horse when the board meets and decide on a matter that PUC still has to make a determination on?”

 

Markhelm Lizarraga

“No, because we have to be sure that we are happy that the process we are going through continues and then when we go to the PUC we say this is what we have. We have not landed there yet Paul.”

 

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.

 

Watch the full newscast here: