Substantial investment - but the fact is that taxpayers already have a very substantial investment in BTL.
And tonight, questions are being raised about secrecy, public money, and where corporate duty ends and national interest begins. Today, the media pressed the issue:
Marisol Amaya, Reporter
"Why is it that you cannot disclose, you've spoken about an NDA. It's about purchasing local companies. It's not companies that are outside in the game competing against BTL."
Mark Lizarraga, Chairman - BTL Board
"Marisol, No business that I know of. None. No private company that I know of would enter into negotiations with another private company and have the discourse in the public."
Marisol Amaya, Reporter
"Because you have $450 million of the government's money, the people's money invested under this company and you're choosing to move it to a monopoly. And the people are concerned about this. There are no safeguards. Stakeholders. The public sector is calling for there to be legislation in relation to this. Legislation has been put in place before when these types of transactions are being done."
Mark Lizarraga, Chairman - BTL Board
"We sit here and we make decisions in the best interests of the company. We don't make national policy. We don't make national policy. We make policies here. We make decisions that are in the best interests of this company and its shareholders."
"You're not looking at that. I understand what you're looking at, the noise in the market. We are focused on the performance of this company because we have a fiduciary responsibility for the performance of this company."
"We're looking at a potential opportunity that we believe is the best interest for everyone."
Marisol Amaya, Reporter
"You are saying that your biggest shareholder does not need to be notified."
Mark Lizarraga, Chairman - BTL Board
"My biggest directors who are going to make this, my biggest shareholder - as all shareholders - represent people on this board. When you send people to the board, those board members, their first responsibilities are to the company. Very clear. When you sit here on this table, your first responsibility is to this company."
