Transport Minister Louis Zabaneh today introduced a bill in the House of Representatives to amend the Motor Vehicle Insurance (Third Party Risk) Act, increasing penalties for driving without insurance and giving traffic officers power to demand proof of coverage. “The penalty for insurance-related offences has remained
The Belize Business Bureau (BBB) has thrown its support behind Belize Telemedia Limited's $80 million proposed acquisition of Speednet/SMART. The BBB argues that the deal is critical to the long-term sustainability of the country's telecom sector. BBB's President Arturo Lizarraga said the public debate has been
With thousands of Belizeans depending on call centres and digital service jobs, government officials and business leaders met on Thursday to discuss how to protect and grow the country’s Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) sector. The Business Mixer was hosted by the Economic Development Council under the
A pause has been put on discussions over the proposed acquisition of SpeedNet (SMART) by Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL). Minister of Public Utilities Michel Chebat told the House of Representatives that Prime Minister John Briceño instructed the pause to allow for greater public engagement and to
Cabinet met on Tuesday and approved several measures that could affect everything from island tourism to road safety and human rights. Tourism on Ambergris Caye, Caye Caulker, and San Pedro was one of the first items discussed. After reviewing a rapid assessment of challenges affecting visitor
The National Students’ Union of Belize (NSUB) is strongly opposing Belize Telemedia Limited’s proposed acquisition of Speednet/SMART, warning that the deal could create a monopoly that harms young people. In a statement, the union said the takeover risks creating a telecommunications monopoly that would jeopardise the
The Belize Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BCCI) has restated its concerns following a meeting with Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL) about the company’s proposed acquisition of Speednet/SMART. Last week, BTL met with both the BCCI and the Belize Business Bureau (BBB) on the same day to
The United Democratic Party (UDP) parliamentary caucus is boycotting today’s sitting of the House of Representatives in protest against Belize Telemedia Limited’s (BTL) proposed acquisition of Speednet/SMART. The UDP described the boycott as “Round 3” in its series of protests and called the acquisition “one of
A key decision on BTL’s proposed purchase of Speednet remains on hold tonight. After relocating their meeting from Belize City to Belmopan to avoid protests by UDP supporters on Wednesday, Social Security Board directors sat down to review the proposed acquisition, one that’s stirred concern
Former employees demanding long‑awaited severance pay are once again turning up the pressure on Belize Telemedia Limited. Members of the Belize Communications Workers for Justice say they’re expecting a response from BTL as early as tomorrow, and while they wait, they took their protest back
