By Belize Live News Staff: Mark the date: next Tuesday, Cabinet takes its final decision on whether BTL swallows Speednet and Belize’s two mobile networks become one. Now mark the problem: the Minister of Public Utilities says the information needed to decide has not all arrived, and he will not say what it is.
Michel Chebat faced the press after Cabinet heard three presentations this week, from the deal’s advocates, its opponents and the regulator. His review was polite, comprehensive, all good, and hollow at the center: “We are still waiting on some additional information before a final decision is made.” Ready for Tuesday? “Hopefully by the time Tuesday comes around we will have enough information on which a decision could be made.” What is lacking? “No, not at this time.”
Hopefully is doing heavy lifting in that sentence, five days before a decision the whole country is watching.
Chebat did defend one flank. Reminded of his February claim that no monopoly is being created, he pointed to MVNOs. Plain language: a mobile virtual network operator is a company that sells you phone service without owning towers, it rents capacity from the network that does. The minister’s argument is that even with BTL and Smart under one roof, the door stays open for such competitors. The counterargument writes itself: an MVNO competes on the merged company’s own network, at wholesale prices the merged company sets. Whether that is real competition or a tenant negotiating with the only landlord in town is exactly what the Chamber, the unions and the senators have been asking.
So the countdown runs. The social partners want documents. The senators want legality verified. And the minister wants information he cannot name. Tuesday is coming either way.
Should Cabinet decide on schedule or wait until every question is answered? Sound off below.
