At 8:00 tomorrow morning, the UDP will be protesting outside of BTL. They are doing so to bring pressure on the BTL Board of Directors as they meet tomorrow - reportedly to seek provisional approval for the acquisition of Speednet.
That's what the party leader told us today when she got to her Headquarters for a planning session.
According to her, they're planning to meet the board, despite not being invited.
Tracy Panton, Leader of the Opposition
"We have been trying to have a dialogue, BCCI indicated that BTL plans to meet with them on the 28th, that would be after the deal is done and so it leaves no other choice but for us to make a stand tomorrow for our voices to be heard however we can do that. We tried to be prudent and responsible in our approach to dialogue but that hasn't gotten us very far."
Jules Vasquez:
"So you're saying you have no other choice, you plan to take a stand tomorrow, what does that mean?"
Tracy Panton, Leader of the Opposition
"Well we will go and meet the board."
Jules Vasquez:
"You're not invited."
Tracy Panton, Leader of the Opposition
"We'll find out about that. BTL is a public entity. It's owned by the Belizean people. But 33, 35% of the shares are owned by SSB. You and I don't get the option to opt in or opt out paying our SSB taxes, we have to pay and so we have to stand by our conviction that this was a government who promised in its manifesto commitment Plan Belize 1.0 and 2.0 that it would establish the gold standard for transparency and accountability and they have betrayed the people."
Jules Vasquez:
"You all will have actual people on the streets at BTL tomorrow?"
Tracy Panton, Leader of the Opposition
"That is the plan."
Jules Vasquez: "And by this direct action you all hope to stop the board vote on a provisional approval which I hear they're going for tomorrow?"
Tracy Panton, Leader of the Opposition
"I don't know if we can stop it but certainly we have to have our say and certainly we have to make a stand for what we believe is a gross mismanagement of our public assets, again for private gain. Tell us why are we buying an old house to add value to a new house. Why are we buying old technology to consolidate so that we can be ready for what they claim is the potential of external competitors coming into the market. Why are they spending 80 million dollars? The people have a right to know. We clamor for answers and we will continue as best as we can to ensure that our disdain on this matter is brought out into the public."
