And while that matter is still to be settled, there are other pressing matters emerging tonight. This evening, at 4:45 pm BTL staff and management met at the multipurpose court to discuss the future of BTL as regards the imminent Prosser takeover, or in default an Ashcroft takeover, they say they have had enough, and say they want to rule their own destiny even if it means pulling the switches and killing nationwide telephone service.
Dale Trujeque, BTL Employee
"When you are involved in matters of this sort, I think people are playing a game with us, so you play the game. We will act decisively. I am sorry but I don't know of any general or anyone who leads an army, or a plan of action in, a matter like this who discloses it; so we can't disclose it."
Paul Perriot, BCWU President
"The employees decided that collectively we will stand together for BTL to make decisive actions towards the government of Belize and towards the Prosser Group and Michael Ashcroft Group of Companies who are creating these problems for us at BTL."
Alfonso Noble, 7NEWS
How does this bouncing around of BTL between Ashcroft, Carlisle, and Government affect the staff on the everyday running of BTL?
Mark Burns, BTL Employee
"Well it definitely had a real bad effect on us as a group of employees who over the past years if it is not group it is another group and even this year it has been really really worse. As employees, management and staff together, we have decided we have had enough. It has been real frustrating. We are one day before the ruling comes into effect where Prosser's group is supposed to come back in and we don't know what will happen tomorrow. That is the reality and that is the reason we are out here and we are really concerned. If notice it is management and staff, 500 plus. I think it is critical for the powers that be, that is GOB, Mr. Prosser, Mr. Carlisle, and any other foreign entity who wants to come in decide that they want to milk this cash cow, I think its critical for all of them to realize that it is not nice, or it is not a nice environment you are going to come into, because we have 500 plus employees who are saying we feel, we know, that we can manage our own resources, we can manage our own company for the benefit of Belizeans."
Operationally, those 400 plus employees do control BTL but technically, who will? Well government's afternoon statement says that government can unite with minority shareholders, presumably Michael Ashcroft and the Unions, and "remove the four ICC appointed directors of BTL at a regularly scheduled meeting." At this point, it might be kind to interject and say that Government seems to be getting its legal advice from fortune cookies. According to the Articles of Association, it would take an extraordinary resolution to remove any director before the expiration of his term of office. And what would government need to pass an extraordinary resolution? Well that would be 75% of the holdings of the company which no single group, or no combination of allied groups, presently has.
