Barrow criticises B.T.L. legislation

And that “B.T.L. matter” was a piece of legislation that government passed in one sitting that will give the Public Utilities Commission the power to intervene in the dispute over the telecommunications company… and presumably pave the way for the sale of G.O.B.’s shares. For Barrow the action was a nice idea but bad law.

Dean Barrow
?Well we have to be pleased at the fact that if what they are doing succeeds, it can put paid to Jeffrey Prosser because nobody supports Jeffrey Prosser. But naturally in terms of, number one, whether what they are doing can succeed, because there will be a challenge to a law that seeks to take away vested rights, that seeks to deprive persons of property and rights in the Golden Share are property rights, so there will be a constitutional issue. So first of all, can what the government seeks to do by this legislation succeed? That?s number one and we have grave doubts as to whether it can. And then number two, we cannot do other than to say to public opinion, please always recollect what it is that has brought us to this path. How it is that the government has tied itself and the Belizean electorate and the interests of the country into such knots that they are now at a point where they have to use the big stick of legislation?that might not be constitutional?to try and take themselves out of the impasse that they have created by virtue of the series of actions.?

Stewart Krohn
?If you were the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, how would you get out of the B.T.L. mess?

Dean Barrow
?Well I wouldn?t have gotten into it in the first place. But in terms of what has happened, I would take my chances with the litigation that?s already in train. I would try to manoeuvre within the bounds of the law. The question that Jules asks is a properly leading one. This raises issues having to do with the larger investment climate. You can?t di wrong and strong people?s property and people?s rights in one area and not except that it?s going to have a spin-over effect generally. It?s an extremely bad move from that point of view in terms of the larger strategic issues. With respect to the narrower issues, as I said, nobody is going to shed any tears for Jeffrey Prosser. But that the government should have placed us in a position where this appears to be the only way out with all the implications of this kind of a move, is absolutely shameful and I think deserving of the greatest possible censure.?