GOB Release: Copy of Musa/BTL Accommodation Agreement

WOW!

These documents are amazing.  They talk about exclusive rights to do business and to infrastructure (ARCOS), VoIP, guaranteed profits, tax breaks, sweet property deals… BTL’s raping of Belizeans is breathtaking – and here is the proof – plain and simple.

http://www.governmentofbelize.gov.bz/accomm_agreement.html

BREAKING NEWS – Government Passes Law to Takeover Telemedia

Government Press Release (inclusive of Dean Barrow’s remarks)

http://www.governmentofbelize.gov.bz/press_release_details.php?pr_id=5613

Government Passes Law to Takeover Telemedia

http://www.7newsbelize.com/sstory.php?nid=14843

Expect Major Changes at BTL in 48 Hours

http://www.7newsbelize.com/sstory.php?nid=14847

Greedy Choke Puppy…

http://www.amandala.com.bz/index.php?id=9002

Love FM Story

http://www.lovefm.com/ndisplay.php?nid=10651

Telemedia Reacts

http://www.lovefm.com/ndisplay.php?nid=10650

Channel 7 – Will GOB Nationalize BTL?

Original Story

Will the government nationalize BTL? That’s the course of action suggested by an Amandala editorial yesterday. And while newspaper editorials don’t set government policy, our information suggests that this one was more than just a shot in the dark, it was more like a trial balloon for an idea that’s gaining some currency in government circles. Speaking with Prime Minister Dean Barrow by telephone today, he was decidedly non committal, saying that as regards the BTL impasse, his government is, “looking at all options” and “what they’ve raised (in the Amandala editorial) is not excluded.”

It would be a bold and unprecedented move, and the consequences wide and far-reaching…but is it the kind of nuclear solution the generally conservative Barrow administration would pursue? That’s left to be seen but a memo sent out to BTL employees yesterday from the employees trust discusses what it calls quote, a “rumor that government may even be considering buying Telemedia.” The trust is a 22% block of shares in the company which is nominally owned by the employees but is managed, controlled, operated and articulated from within the cockpit of some anonymous corporate mother-ship.

Belize (BTL) blocks VPN Connections

Belize Telemedia Ltd. has begun to block VPNs (virtual private networks).  This includes PPTP/GRE, IPSEC and SSL.  They seem to be implementing these blocks arbitrarily but reports are coming in from all over the country that BTL has misused its power once again in blocking users from using common security mechanisms across their network.  VPNs have been a well known method for users to cicumvent BTL VoIP blocking.  This is simply outrageous.  Dean, are you listening?

BTL Blocks IAX

BTL today blocked the popular IAX protocol from passing through their VoIP jamming technology.  IAX, a VoIP protocol developed in conjuction with the Asterisk Open Source PBX, IAX had been a last place of refuge among users that wished to have inexpensive international phone service in Belize.  Previously BTL had limited the blocking to SIP and Sykpe, but today expanded the list to include IAX.    It looks as if they may also have blocked a popular chatting protocol called Jabber, most commonly used in Google Talk.  Way to go BTL!

Reporter – Nice Editorial on BTL State Of Affairs

Original:

http://www.reporter.bz/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=2966&Itemid=

By Harry Lawrence – Publisher

It is clear to the man on the street that Belize Telemedia Limited may be acting under instructions from the man who says he no longer controls B.T.L., Mr. Michael Ashcroft.

Mr. Ashcroft is the only person who has an interest in silencing Channel 7 and Kremandala TV.B.T.L. supplies Channel 5 with fiber-optic cable access because it owns Channel 5.

B.T.L. does not own the fiber-optic cable line to Belize. But it is the only company with access to this line, through its corporate headquarters on St. Thomas Street.

B.T.L. paid a lot for this fiber-optic trunk-line connection, and the company is not now willing to share it with others who are not of its ilk.

The underwater fiber-optic line is owned by a provider who is willing to splice in another trunk line, but the fee for this service is U.S. one million.

There are compelling reasons why Belize should get this second link, and we shall try to explain them here:

1. Belize Telemedia Limited has a monopolistic strangle-hold on fiber-optics in Belize. It uses this strangle-hold to reward its friends and punish the competition.

2. B.T.L. uses its strangle hold to promote the Belize Bank and its operations, not only with cheap telephone calls and unlimited Internet access, but it holds the rest of the business community to ransom by:

(a) charging exhorbitant fees for domestic and overseas calls,

(b) refusing to offer voice over internet protocol in Belize, thereby stunting the growth of communications and other communication – related businesses.

(c) enjoying an ufair advantage over all other businesses, who are forced to pay B.T.L.’s high rates.

(d) allowing the Belize Bank, or some related entity operating from 60 Market Square to grab a large chunk of the fiber-optic capacity for the dot Bz domain-name activities such as on-line gambling and tele-marketing.

(e) Because these activities are regarded as offshore businesses, B.T.L. and its Belize Bank associates pay no taxes whatsoever on what is seen as a multi-million dollar empire of smut and gambling.

(f) B.T.L. has thus become a law unto itself; a corporation operating independently within a government, thumbing its nose at the government.

(g) Telecommunications is an essential industry. Those who control it control the country’s development.

Having a second fiber-optic trunk line would end the B.T.L. monopoly. It would open up VOIP options for the entire country. It would give new scope to independent competition in the media and to new telecommunication players who might want to come in. It would save the country and government millions of dollars in lower fees. A second fiber-optic trunk line would clip B.T.L.’s wings and usher in a new dawn of cheaper telecommunications.

There is one obstacle however – money!

But if the Government of Belize could find a way to partner with the private sector, perhaps they could together manage the down-payment for another fiber-optic trunk line, and share the profits.

It appears to be a gilt-edged investment.

Channel 7 – John Avery Replaces Roberto Young as PUC Chairman

Story is really about the BEL rates hikes, but it also means that a career BTL man is out…

Original Story:

http://www.7newsbelize.com/printstory.php?func=print&nid=10968

The Public Utilities Commission is in the middle of a very tense Annual Review Process (ARP) with BEL, but the man who’s been the Chairman for the past two years, Roberto Young is leaving that post. Information reaching 7NEWS is that John Avery will take up the post as chairman as early as next week. Avery will leave his post as editor of The Guardian which, reports say, will now be taken up by Channel 7 alum, Alfonso Noble.

Channel 7 – Mike Ashcroft May Sell Controlling Interests in BTL

http://www.7newsbelize.com/sstory.php?nid=10839

The Barrow Administration and the Belize Bank are presently locked in a dispute over US$10 million in grant funds from the government of Venezuela. On March 15th the Central Bank instructed the Belize Bank to return the US$10 million to government in 10 days or face the possibility of criminal charges being brought against President Phil Johnson.

Since then, a ten day extension has been granted, and that expires on Thursday. But best information suggests that the Bank will go to court to seek some relief from the directive before the extension expires.

So while there will clearly be a battle between government and Michael Ashcroft’s Belize Bank for the US$10 million, reports to 7NEWS indicate that Ashcroft may not be as ready to fight over BTL. Multiple senior sources tell 7NEWS that Ashcroft is inclined to sell off his controlling interests in BTL. He reportedly communicated this to the Prime Minister before Easter.

Government expects to see definitive progress towards this within the next three months. But, at this time, it is not a done deal, and indications are that the company is being shopped around. Now, who will buy it and under what covenants? Those are the tricky questions because best reports suggest that there are a number of consequential side agreements – including one for a guaranteed rate of return.

Those were signed by the last government and the current government knows nothing about them and claims to not even have copies of them. Many issues, and the Prime Minister’s press secretary will have a press conference tomorrow at which he will discuss the latest on efforts to recover the Venezuelan money.

Anchor Free Website Blocked

The anchor free website (www.anchorfree.com) is blocked from Belize.  Thanks for the good ole cencorship BTL.

Channel 7 – Telemedia & Mike Duncker Battle Over Intelco Towers

 Original Story:

http://www.7newsbelize.com/sstory.php?nid=10441&frmsrch=1

18 galvanized self supporting steel towers are the only remnants of the multi-million Intelco disaster that are still standing. They are the biggest of their kind in Belize, and the towers are estimated to be worth millions. But tonight there is a war brewing over who owns them. In one corner it is cable investor Mike Duncker and in the other is Telemedia. Duncker claims that he bought the land that the towers are built on last year at an auction. But Telemedia, which at some point assumed a portion of Intelco’s debt to mop up government’s mess, has staked a legal claim on the same towers. So yesterday they sent work crews to dismantle, what the company says are “its towers.” But are they really? Not according to Mike Duncker.

Keith Swift Reporting,
This is the 240 foot steel tower at mile 8 which Telemedia employees and contractors attempted to dismantle this morning.

Mike Duncker, Has Title to Land
“We came here and we saw quite a few men, maybe nine or ten men from BTL, of the strong arm type, a lot of them of the strong armed type, and we ask what they are going to do and they said they were sent by BTL and if we had questions to call BTL. We had the title which they said they don’t care about, they said we would have to deal with BTL – not them.”

When he arrived at noon – the workers were leaving – and the tower was still standing. Mike Duncker bought the tower and the land it sits at a DFC auction last year. This title proves that he owns it.

Mike Duncker,
“We went to a public auction and bought land with fixtures. Yesterday my son came by and BTL had started to dismantle this tower. He went for a policeman who told them to stop and leave as he showed the policeman title for the land. They left. This morning we were coming back into town and we noticed that at La Democracia where we have another tower they had an armed BDF man and two KBH men – one of which was also armed. We got the policemen and had them removed as they could show no ownership and we were able to show clear ownership.”

Keith Swift,
You showed us the fact that you have title for the land, but does that also mean that you own the tower?

Mike Duncker,
“We bought it with all fixtures on the land.”

The tower at Mile 8 is a part of a network of 18 towers that Duncker bought – which were previously owned by Intelco. Duncker says his company plans to do what Intelco didn’t – and he suspects that is why Telemedia wants to pull down his towers.

Keith Swift,
Why do they want your tower down?

Mike Duncker,
“I think that it will top the competition that they know is coming and they recognize that we will pose a very serious threat to them with internet telephone and video eventually. So I am very surprised that a company like that using strong armed tactics that they are using but I think they just want to stop competition before it can get going.”

Again Mike Duncker says he owns the land and by extension the towers. That was news to Telemedia’s Manager of Marketing and Sales Karen Bevans. She says they have a legal claim on the property and they were dismantling the towers to take south to continue setting up the company’s wireless network.

Bevans says the company knows nothing of Duncker’s plan to establish a wireless network and furthermore she says that Telemedia announced its intention for a wireless network in Southern Belize in October of 2007 – long before Duncker made his plans known. She says that if Mike Duncker does have titles to the properties, he should show it to Telemedia. Failing that, Bevans says the company will proceed with its plan to dismantle all the towers and take them south to be reassembled for what she termed “the benefit of their customers” in southern Belize. Duncker has said that he tried unsuccessfully to meet with Telemedia’s Boss Dean Boyce.