And while BTL and the media were already on shaky ground, now they've also lost public trust since they were negotiating this deal in the shadows and through multiple conflicts of interest.
And like Channel 7 News director Jules Vasquez pointed out, there were no numbers disclosed until the Ashcroft Alliance's press release.
Jules Vasquez, 7News Belize
"Indeed they came at the very last minute to try and make a public case when we have been asking literally since June 2nd is when we first raised this issue but there has been deliberate secrecy and obfuscation and it is until Sunday when the Ashcroft release, it's the first time we've seen any numbers. It confirms the number we have been reporting but it's the first time anybody saw $80 million for Smart. The Briceno's own a total of 22%, okay. So the Briceno family stands to benefit 22% of 80, that's $18 million, the Ashcroft Alliance and so and so money will be paid but it took an Ashcroft Alliance release because the chairman on Friday was deliberately - he doesn't know the numbers, he send you to the next one, he has a financial services commission, he has to check the numbers, I'm just saying, that on Friday was a deliberate attempt to make a pitch that this is necessary while treating the democracy like we're fools."
