Government hangs up Digicel’s line on Godfrey Smith
godfrey smith
Former Foreign Minister Godfrey Smith came under heat today from the Government of Belize. In a press release earlier today Smith was criticized and condemned for a letter he wrote on September seventeenth to Richard Fraser of Digicel in Jamaica, discouraging him from considering any investment in Belize Telemedia. The government press release says that Smith is unpatriotic for undertaking to undermine the economic interest of the country. News Five will have Smith’s response to Government’s release on Thursday.
Was he looking out for his friends who own Digicel or did they not want to pay as much for someone who is no longer in office?
This man is a PUP crony, so everyone knows that such cronies will think and do the opposite from the best. He should be charged for doing such a thing to GOB.
Mr Smith should have attached all the BTL judgments; that is judgments of the Supreme Court of Belize, Courtof Appeal and Privy council which all show that old BTL lost all legal challenges of substance against GOB. Dont just tell your side of the story. Smith should have let the Caribbean DigiCel know why the Law has allowed GoB to do what they have done against the Old BTL. Maybe his letter would have credibility. Otherwise I think he is just thinking about his client without realizing that he has done a very trecherous thing by telling investors that Belize da no wa good place fi invest. .
If this is true Godfrey smith should be severely beaten with the Belizean flag, and have “traitor” branded in the middle of his sloping forehead.
How confused these politicians seem to get about leadership! So often, they are stuck in the amazing belief that it is their responsibility to destroy or teach their country a lesson.
Accomplishment is the issue in Leadership you idiot.
unpatriotic who is more unpatriotic than this pm and this gov. allowing all these murders to happen in our country .
Am sure that a multimillion pound company would conduct due diligence before even the initial period of serious consideration………Smith, I feel sure, did not reveal any new or unknown information.
A non-story.
Maddy:
If anything – Smith should be commended for his patriotic move – whats more patriotic than saving Belize and Belizeans from another clue-less company who will invest here without fully knowing the situation?
If this company is truly clueless as to the situation of BTL (again, I doubt this) then Smith saved us from a situation that would of been far worse than the Jeffery Prosser.
And just as they are conducting their due diligence (I pray), so should Belize – who is this company, what are their past track record etc
Belize UDP Government like a crack head presently -be careful we open the door further to the unwanted for a few dallah and a very temporary hit.
If one google belize CIA facts in the internet and the stories around about investers in belize,clearly belize is not a place to invest,or much worst,retire after a hard working life.but to be a succesfull invester in belize one has to get in contact with the lawfirms in the city, who can get you any kind of sweet deal,as long as you show them the money!
The truth hurts. Government can do as they please that includes nationalize private enterprises. Any foreign investor should be aware. There is not justice only Barrow’s justice.
The Sale of Belize Telemedia Shares should be done in an open and transparent manner. No more selling of assest to “shell companies” we want to know the names of those who purchase shares. Pm i hope your family does not become a majority shareholder. we want to know what is the selling price…. We were ripped off by the previous government with the accomodation agreement.. will we be ripped off by Barrow Telemedia limited too…?
I just hope this stupid government that we have start to think now before the same criminals they are freeing kills them to teach them a lesson, all over BELIZE the cry is there that people are terrorized and running wild to protect themselves, this health care system is so demoralized and non caring Minister of health is showing as if something good has been done, anyway GOD will prevail and this bald head stubborn PM will no longer be affecting the Belizean people, this I can guarantee, PRAY ALL TO GOD AND HE WILL LISTEN TO US, LOVE YOU.
love and peace
While we complain, rant and rave they continue with their plan—-indeed the country of Belize needs new management–Maddy I like your flag whipping style but we can still come to an agreement just by dialogue—I said in one of my threads—JANKUNU MAN—well I should have said that it is a quote from one of those OLD STOCK BELIZEAN POLITICIAN–Should I say Prejudice -OK———since the PUP is now a senior citizen we can say that they were governed by people who had a negative view towards the people of Garifuna race. That was never my word or saying but it HURTS even today to know that BELIZE old leaders and some currently in power hated me–yes hated me since I’m Garifuna—They did not even reply to my scholarship request or even yours–since you are a person belonging to GARIFUNA—ANTIRACISM had said the wages of voicing your opinion is for it to be manifested—I knew hard times dude—I have a plan for Belize and it includes support from all the people on these blogs… YES WE CAN—If there is a broken link in any party then that party had ceased to be efficient- I can see Mr. Hyde, Mr. Espat and the other masters getting a new color and a new party…
Godfrey Smith should be ashamed of himself. Many of the 2 sided deals that the Government of Belize made, such as the Carnival contract were done under his Government’s watch. The shamelesness of this man is amazing!
I think that Mr Smith did his job properly for his clients. I also believe he told the truth.
Here’s the truth, this is not about UDP vs. PUP thing, this is about YOU. As long as you all keep voting in the same people, with the same game plan, the same promises and the same idea’s, this will NEVER end. Keep accepting money on election day, keep accepting truck loads of dirt for your yard, keep accepting under the table deals and bribes, and in effect KEEP Belize corrupt. It’s your choice. This is about an unstable country, who’s financial system and controls in government, regardless of who is in power, is a global joke, and quite frankly an embarrassment to those of us living outside of Belize. How can a government so small, be so out of control, and so unaware of where and how money really gets spent. Regardless of the findings and recommendations made by Audit committees, the same crap keeps on happening, year after year, and regardless of which party is in power. You all blaming any particular party is like Bush blaming Barak for the deficit. I do not understand it, and so I blame YOU. Keep voting BLUE/RED because you were born into it. As long as we have individuals in power that do not genuinely care about the people they serve (remember we hire them to do the job) and are not in it for the right reasons, Belize will be forever be starved of it’s true potential as a jewel in Central America. Who is the fool, the fool?, or the fool who follows the fool?
As for this news article, good for Godfrey to make a client aware of the hazards of doing business in Belize. I don’t call that unpatriotic, I call that good business ethics, unless of course his statement in without support, in which case I will eat my computer screen. With the way people are trigger happy to sue these days, he has no choice but to offer a honest assessment. Belize is continuously being downgraded in public forums, for credit worthiness, corruption indicators, human rights trafficking, drugs etc. It will take a concerted effort on behalf of every Belizean on the planet to turn the country around. But, alas, no one seems to care. All YOU care about is the next time YOUR color is in power so YOU can have YOUR chance to reap the benefits for a few years.
Well said Fromafar——-I just might have found a colleague and friend, it is what it is–but just
for now–until we can do better–there is no reason why people should be running away from
there country–Belize— IT IS RICH– remember sanctions were placed on countries like CUBA
due to there Communist ties, however and somehow they managed and are looking into a
bright future with one of the best untouched ecosystems in the world—of course that is after
Senor Fidel stepped down and is also now voicing that his decisions were wrong all along—I’m
not Cuban–Belize is full of similiar untouched virgin ecosystem and we should pat ourselves
on the back for that..lol————- We can change Belize and turn it around in less than a term
which has been held by any political party in the country——————First we will invest on what
the OLD STOCK POLITICIANS have set up and reform what needs to be done and we will need
them when we find tune the wrongs that were committed—-I’m not in the habit of putting
oldmen in prison but I will uphold the law no matter what if placed in power. If you believe to
yourself that the DREADED CLIFF in the journey of Belize is in sight then you know how ANGRY
the situation have been for concerned citizens (not neccessarilly the blogger).
when will we stop blocking VOIP, will this be in Barrow’s Accomodation Agreement!!!!!!!!!!
I know that barrow is not there for us all of you have right in talking like that. I Personally think that the udp does not now how to govern our country that is for sure. Yes they say pup is corrupt and all a dat but you did not see a lot of killing and a lot of violence in our country like now.although pm Is our prime minister even if i don’t like it he is I have to respect that. But let me tell you guys one thing If you continue voting udp we will always have these troubles every time. SO i hope he looks at all of our comments and take the ones that suites him and to work for our country belize as to you pple that talk bad about smith you don’t know what you are saying.See BTL is not there for us a small company came did some good things and they are trying to wipe them off what kind of people is that competiton is gud but we have to learn that we are a small country and that we need good prices barrow please let dem bring down the prices of the phone internet and gasoline common we are taking a licking out here stop and think no d waste our money we tax payers are the one that d suffer you dont see it caz you gat the money and d spend it maybe unwisely so come on and think for us too you and your cabinet get down to your feet and think for belizeans.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
FROMAFAR: 100% correct
THE POOR PEOPLE CAN’T SEE THIS THEY TOOK HYNOPIZE BY MONEY. BUNCH OF THEIVIES. NOBODY SHOULD EVER INVEST IN BELIZE TILL THESE PEOPLE GET THEIR ACT TOGETHER>
THE JUDICIARY, LAWYERS ALL IN BED TOGETHER>
Belize is not a good place to invest; not under this administration, and this is not political propaganda; I personally have lost hundreds of thousands in foreign investment because the investor was just so scared of putting his money in Belize with what GOB has done to BTL and how they are mingling in the judiciary et al et al et al.
Pick up your phone and look for a number in the yellow pages and make a cold call, pretty sure you will hear the same sentiment; businesses are closing left and right and am not talking about small businesses anymore, its the big guys falling like chainsawed pines.