And today in the Senate, the Business sectors representative also called out the proposed acquisition.
Today a Senate meeting was held virtually for the first time - with all the senators signing on via an online teleconferencing platform.
On the adjournment, business Senator Kevin Herrera expressed grave concern on the proposed acquisition. He said it represents a "dangerous delusion.:
Kevin Herrera, Business Senator
"We are being sold a narrative of efficiency, Madam President. We are being promised a strategic consolidation. But let us peel back the corporate jargon and call it what it truly is, the state-sponsored execution of competition in the telecommunications sector."
"History is a tough but effective teacher, Madam President, and the history of the Belizean telecom monopoly is a story of high prices and pain with telecommunication rates. It was only the entry of SpeedNet that finally broke that chokehold, forcing prices down and data speeds up."
"To move back toward a single provider is a voluntarily walk back into the cage we fought decades to escape. Madam President, the BTL board argues that this merger is a survival tactic against the inevitable entry of Starlink."
"This is not just flawed logic. It is a dangerous delusion, Madam President. Buying competition is not an innovation. Removing a local rival does not make BTL more agile against a global satellite giant."
"It simply makes BTL a larger, slower, and more bureaucratic target. How does selling BTL with another $80 million in debt improve its ability to compete? If a customer wants low latency of Starlink, an 80 million buy out won't stop them from switching tomorrow."
"You do not beat a 21st century satellite network by buying up the sunset technology. We are being asked to gamble the retirement funds of Belizean workers and a 20th century business model. This isn't a strategic move, it's a high-stakes bet using the public's purse and workers' money."
"I call upon the Senate, if we are ever called to deliberate on this matter, Madam President, that we look out for the Belizean consumers, that we look out for business, that we look out for the future of this economy."
And through a statement to members this morning the Chamber is also formally inviting BTL, which is a member of the chamber, to engage with them through a presentation.
As a representative of the business sector, the BCCI believes that they should be able to participate in a transparent and informed dialogue, which would allow stakeholders to raise pertinent questions. The Chamber is now awaiting a response to the invitation.
