Dear Editor,
Our VIP response to columnist Colin BH’s article appearing in the Amandala of 25th October 2013, is as follows:
At the time of acquiring BTL from its previous owners in August, 2009, the VIP and the PNP issued a joint statement congratulating the government on its bold move. This was based on (1) the need to resolve and settle a protracted dispute over an illegal and secret “accommodation agreement” which among other things undermined the government’s ability to collect taxes from the company (2) the desirability for government to increase its equity over such an essential service and (3) the need to better regulate the monopoly to ensure that it treats people fairly, charges reasonable rates and provide adequate and affordable telecommunication services.
Today with the benefit of hindsight and notwithstanding that settlement of ownership remains outstanding, we have come to observe that the expected benefits that should have flowed to the Belizean customers were illusory as prices have not been lowered and in particular that the management and the board of directors of the said company continue to be used as a featherbed for nepotism, political patronage, and excessive governmental interference and control.
This scenario has challenged the VIP to consider an alternate way forward.
In this regard, VIP sees merit in a proposal to privatise the Service aspect of BTL’s activity whilst retaining ownership of vital telecommunications infrastructure for leasing or hire to competing “service providers.” This proposal envisages the establishment of a Statutory Body to manage telecommunications infrastructure and at the same time facilitate interconnection access for service providers to fairly compete in an open market. The service providers would then continue to be regulated by the Public Utilities Commission.
The above is the official position of the VIP.
Hubert Enriquez
Chairman, VIP