Organized people power stops BTL-Smart deal!

Public pressure forces Cabinet to oppose BTL’s proposed Smart acquisition

BELMOPAN, Thurs. Aug. 13, 2026

   Cabinet has bowed to mounting public backlash against Belize Telemedia Limited’s (BTL) intended acquisition of 100% of the issued share capital of Speednet Communications Limited, operator of Smart.

   The announcement came this afternoon, just four days before the unions and all three other social partners were scheduled to demonstrate as Cabinet prepared to deliberate and arrive at a position on the acquisition on Tuesday, August 18. The demonstration would be preceded by a “wear black campaign” on Friday, August 14. Notwithstanding Cabinet’s decision, the “wear black campaign” will proceed. A decision regarding the protest has yet to be announced.

   Cabinet’s release said that after careful deliberation “it is Cabinet’s informed position that it does not support the proposed acquisition.” It noted that the acquisition is a matter of national concern and that, because “The Government of Belize, the Social Security Board, and the people of Belize are the majority owners of BTL,” Cabinet is obligated to responsibly review all available information and respectfully consider the views of social partners, the media, and the public.

   The PM said that BTL will be informed of Cabinet’s decision, and that BTL should then notify Smart that they will not proceed with the acquisition.

Social partners were mobilizing amid concerns over media freedom and monopoly risks

   Momentum had been building throughout the week as the National Trade Union Congress of Belize (NTUCB), the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), the Belize Network of Non-Governmental Organizations (BNN), and the National Evangelical Association of Belize (NEAB) intensified their coordinated response. After two meetings last week, members of a steering committee met Monday with independent media owners.

   Pastor Louis Wade, Jr., owner of Plus TV, warned that technological changes now allow a regulator to pull the plug on media houses without their knowledge, compared to earlier eras when transmitters had to be physically shut down. Channel 7’s Jules Vasquez called the proposed acquisition “madness,” and argued that “any state-controlled monopoly poses a danger to free media – and any fettering of the free media poses a danger to a democracy’s functioning.”

   XTV’s Evan “Mose” Hyde added that nothing has changed since January, when the deal was first being considered. “Still, we’re opposed, opposed, opposed,” he said. He stressed that it’s not just a monopoly that would be created, but a monopoly controlled by absolute power.

Communications union reverses support

On Monday, the Belize Communications Workers Union (BCWU) announced it had withdrawn its earlier support for the acquisition, with 84% of its membership now opposing the deal.

   The Union said that since January it had repeatedly sought clarity from BTL on job security, costs, governance, regulatory issues, media freedom, and how Smart employees would be integrated. While a majority of members initially supported the deal following a virtual town hall, that support was contingent on those concerns being addressed.

   Since then, however, the Union says concerns remain unaddressed. After the BTL Board voted to support the acquisition on August 4, the union reconvened and on August 6 voted to reverse its position and aligned itself with the NTUCB on the way forward.

Cabinet’s structured review of the Smart acquisition

   Cabinet had adopted a formal process ahead of its planned August 18 deliberation. On August 11, it invited the Social Security Board, the Public Utilities Commission and BTL to make presentations. Invitations were sent to the Business Chamber and the NTUCB to present their positions to Cabinet today.

   However, on August 11, the four social partner organizations issued a joint statement confirming that they were now acting as a unified block, and insisted that any meeting with Government must include all four organizations. They repeated their previous demand for the release of key documents, including financial statements and independent valuation reports, and said that no meeting would take place without these.

   After Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting when he informed that he would recuse himself from Cabinet’s decision, given that his brother is a founding member of Smart, Prime Minister John Briceño said Cabinet decided to only invite the Chamber and the NTUCB since they represent labour and business. He asked that Cabinet’s position be respected.

   Today, NTUCB President Ella Waight told Amandala that the issue is national in scope and all social partners should be represented.

BTL chairman defends proposed acquisition

   When the media caught up with BTL Chairman Markhelm Lizarraga after their presentation to Cabinet, he said they addressed Cabinet’s concerns over what he described as misinformation circulating in the media. He said the company’s due diligence continues, and that several factors have changed since January. “One, the stakeholders have all agreed – the small shareholder has agreed that this makes economic sense … I think the Social Security has said that they do not have any objections – that they see the benefits in it,” he stated. He also reiterated that they received three independent valuations: one by management, one by Moore Belize, and one by a Brazilian firm.

   He added that there are other methods to assess a company’s financial viability, including Net Present Value, and that interconnection data allows BTL to estimate Smart’s customer traffic and revenue.

   Lizarraga also argued that BTL acquiring Smart would not create a monopoly, because other data providers exist, and Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) could also enter the market without owning their own cellular network and instead leasing capacity from BTL.

   The Chairman insisted that anyone who wished to be consulted was consulted, and that BTL has been willing to meet with anyone “that wants to truly listen.”

BCWJ demands evidence to support Smart deal

   The Belize Communications Workers for Justice (BCWJ) issued a statement today reiterating its opposition to the deal, saying that recent public pronouncements have deepened concerns. The group said claims about a rapid payback of 4.5 years with Smart’s own income, available network capacity and the value of Speednet’s assets, must be backed by information that Belizeans and social partners can independently verify.

   BCWJ called for multi‑year audited financials, an independent valuation and financial model, a comprehensive technology and integration assessment, an analysis of competition impacts, and a clear worker‑impact plan, including potential duplication of roles, protections and redundancy costs.

   BCWJ spokesperson Emily Turner disputed Lizarraga’s claim that BTL can estimate Smart’s revenue from customer traffic data. She stated that businesses often keep phones from both companies – raising questions of a duplicated customer base. “If I am running off the same network, I won’t need two devices,” she explained. She said if BTL has processed those numbers, the evidence must be produced.

   Turner also questioned the practicality of MVNO entry, saying that political realities make approvals unlikely.

   The BCWJ also affirmed that the Smart deal “cannot be separated from BTL’s record of accountability to its former employees.” The group noted that many former workers have reported unanswered correspondence over disputed calculations, and claims that have been rejected or disqualified without adequate explanation.

   BCWJ has retained a Trinidad and Tobago attorney who issued a pre-action protocol letter to BTL on August 10 regarding severance claims from 146 former employees. BTL has seven days to respond and 30 days to provide disclosure for each claim, failing which the matter will proceed to court.

Social partners applaud Cabinet decision, but insist full regulatory review must continue

   Following Cabinet’s announcement, the four social partner organizations and their respective senators welcomed the decision, saying it demonstrates “the importance of public scrutiny, collective action and meaningful engagement.”

   They stressed, however, that accountability is still required “regarding how a transaction of this magnitude was introduced, assessed and advanced.” They noted that Cabinet’s stated position “does not, by itself, determine the legal and regulatory disposition of the proposed transaction.” They call on the Public Utilities Commission to continue its review of the proposal “transparently, independently and in accordance with the applicable statutory framework.”

   The partners reiterated their August 6 demands that the PUC address outstanding regulatory concerns, including the deal’s implications for competition and compliance with Belize’s telecommunications framework, and also called on the BTL Board to respond to their requests for financial information and valuation material regarding the proposed acquisition.

   The social partners affirmed that they will continue to act collectively in the interest of the public, and remain engaged “until the outstanding questions are answered, the applicable legal and regulatory processes are respected, and the interests of the Belizean people are fully protected.”

   Notably, the Opposition United Democratic Party had also announced its intention to protest on August 18.