Last month, we took you inside the headquarters of the Belize Bureau of Standards, where you saw that this department only has two enforcement officers and two small vehicles to ensure consumer protection across the entire country. And when they can't do their jobs, it's the residents who suffer the effects of crimes like price gouging. At a time when inflation is at a 14 year high, we need them more than ever.
So today, we asked the PM if he knew about this desperate situation in such an important department:
Courtney Menzies
"Are you aware of this lack in resources?"
Hon. John Briceno - Prime Minister
"Not to that extent as to what exactly they want to do, but remember, we still in the pandemic and we still have to be careful and to be able to control the government expenditure. We have promise the first of July, we're going to give back the 10% increase to our public officers, so there's always the need, every ministry can make the case that they need more people but we have to do with what we have and probably in today's day because of inflation and prices going up regularly, w e may need to consider whether we may need to hire a few more people for Bureau of Standards that can be out there policing to ensure that our citizens are not being taken advantage of by unscrupulous business people."
BTL Buys Big Into "Cable TV" Industry
The telecommunications landscape is changing fast and BTL is trying to get a foot in the door - your door preferably - with offerings suing terms such as IPTV, OTT and Triple Play. These are packages that bundle cable television, streaming services, mobile and fixed line phone services.
It's a great race to control this emerging market - and the cable giants CTI and CENTAUR have the edge with their national cable and internet networks, already connected to tens of thousands of households from Punta Gorda to the Corozal Free Zone.
And now with the multi million dollar acquisition of Alternative Networks - Cayo Television Network, BTL is trying to get a toe hold on the expanding industry.
News went out earlier this week that BTL has acquired that Cayo based telecom provider after an extensive period of due diligence.
Owner Stacey Burns told us that BTL shared the same vision that her company has always had wanting the entire public to enjoy IPTV at home, and OTT on their phones.
Alternative offers what you might call cable television services but they do it in a different way, using wireless signal and internet protocols. They have also purchased their own channels under copyright arrangements.
It's a neat - if costly - investment for BTL - but an important way for the company to become competitive in this new bundled future.
Now, the Prime Minister's family business is Centaur Cable, but today he told us he knew NOTHING about this new deal:
Hon. John Briceno - Prime Minister
"No, I don't know anything about it, BTL is a private company, the former prime minister, whenever you used to ask the question, he used to tell you the same thing, it's a private company, and we cannot dictate at them."
Reporter
"Sir, but is BTL's plan to provide content for television, something like Netflix for Belize, we know that cable is dead, but given that you're the owner of cable company, do you see that as competition?"
Hon. John Briceno
"I have no absolutely no idea what they're doing and so, can we move on?"
And while the Prime Minister claimed no knowledge whatsoever - this acquisition is being watched very keenly in the cable industry - where Centaur is - geographically - the largest operator.
Keeping Butane Prices Stable
Last night, we told you how the price of cooking gas, officially known as liquefied petroleum gas, was going down ever so slightly.
At midnight last night, the price for a 100-pound tank went from 149 dollars to 148 dollars in the urban areas.
That's only a dollar difference, but in the context of inflation and the rising cost of living, Belizean consumers will no doubt be grateful to save every cent they can.
The price stabilization and the assured quality of the mix of the fuel in your tank are primarily due to the role that the public/private entity, the National Gas Company, plays in the importation of LPG into Belize.
This afternoon, we spoke via zoom with the company's spokesperson, Danny Gutierrez. Here's what he had to say on the current external shocks that are impacting the price that you pay for refills of your tank:
And while one hand giveth, the other taketh away... Reports reaching our newsroom tonight are that the pump price for premium is expected to go up by as much as 96 cents tonight at midnight.
