Court of Appeal: B.T.L. rates illegal

It’s a case that has been meandering through the Belizean judicial system for over a year, and even after another dramatic ruling in the Court of Appeal on Friday, things are still up in the air. What I’m referring to is the case of Belize Telecommunications Limited, the Government of Belize and those restructured rates. Are they illegal or aren’t they? Well according to the Justices sitting on the bench of the Court of Appeal: Ira Rowe, Elliot Mottley, Manuel Sosa and Boyd Carey, the price hikes announced by B.T.L. in December 2001 are in fact not valid and customers should expect to pay the old rates. But tonight, according to Sales Manager Karen Bevans, the existing rates remain in effect and the telecommunications company has instructed their employees to carry out business as usual. We have been made to understand that the company’s legal team will continue to pursue their interests in the courts. So what should a local, national or international phone call cost you tonight, well apparently that depends on which side you’re talking to: B.T.L. or G.O.B. We’ll have more on this story in tomorrow night’s newscast.