But regardless of their differences, Lizarraga emphasized the BTL and GOB are still partners and are currently working on various projects. He also noted that it is because of meeting and exceeding their profit margins that they are able to undertake these new initiatives, such as providing services to underserved communities.
Mark Lizarraga, Chairman, BTL
"GOB and BTL will be partnering in fulfilling its mandate under Plan Belize to expand services to under-served communities. The primary purpose of this investment some 10 million dollars will be invested. It's to bring connectivity to many under-served areas, especially in these Covid times. We want everybody to be connected. These are investments were under normal business as usual scenarios, these investments would not have been made, because they would not have been economically viable or the payback period would be too long, but in partnering with the government of Belize we would make this happen. So we are very much in partnership with the government of Belize as well as a part of this partnership we have launched our Edudata plan. Edudate is going to provide mobile data to teachers and students at a 50% discount. As well I remind you that BTL already provides internet free of cost up to 130megs to some 300 schools countrywide. This year the board approved once again 25 new scholarships for students. In the past we have cooperated and assisted healthcare workers with some goodwill packages that gave them data, voice and SMS plans to the value of $100,000, if I am not mistaken and we are looking again to see if we can continue to support these people in this way. We assisted the government with their mobile pays program which disbursed some 19 million dollars to over 20,000 needy Belizeans at a cost to this company of over $400,000. And we did that partnering with GOB."
