Chairman Says B.T.L. Needs to Be Prepared to Compete

There is an update to the government’s decision to shift from B.T.L. to Smart as its communications provider in the Ministry of Rural Transformation and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  This afternoon, B.T.L. Chairman Mark Lizarraga addressed the move, first responding to the Belize Communications Workers Union which had condemned the change via a press release. They said it “has resulted in over three million dollars in losses to company revenues at B.T.L.” In response, Lizarraga says he has been in constant communication with his staff, relaying to them the realities of operating in a competitive environment.

Mark Lizarraga

Mark Lizarraga, Chairman, B.T.L.

“Like I’ve said, and I said this to the staff, we have a new system in place now. We have quarterly town hall meetings where I meet with all the staff of BTL, virtually of course, and explain and express to them, what the present situation in the company is. And, we knew from day one that BTL is heavy. We knew from day one that we had to make some changes to put the company on profitable footing. And, we also knew that we had to become nimbler, more responsive to our client’s needs. We had to become more competitive.  And, our staff, after consultations with our unions and the entire staff body, understood this.  I can understand their passion obviously.  I carry a bias that is obvious. I would want to see all the business come to us, of course.  But, I started by saying we are operating in a competitive arena and we have to be prepared, even though we are an essential service provider, to compete with the other players in the arena. So, our staff may not like it, but they know it. We have known it from day one. I said it in the first meeting we had with them.  B.T.L. needs to become lean. B.T.L. needs to become nimble. And, we need to become responsive to the demands of the people. That is what happens in competition. We are no different. We would like to be different. We want to be different. But, I think we have to make sure we do everything possible to convince those persons that procure on behalf of government.”