Ashcroft takes renewed interest in B.T.L.

He says he is not interested in returning to ownership of Belize Telecommunications Limited, but Michael Ashcroft remains a potent presence in the industry. This week?s Tuesday Amandala reported that the former B.T.L. chairman, through various companies under the Carlisle Holdings group, is now in control of a significant chunk of shares in the company. On Tuesday night, News 5’s Patrick Jones caught up with Ashcroft to seek clarification of his intentions with regard to B.T.L.

Michael Ashcroft, Buying B.T.L.?s Shares
?As far as Carlisle is concerned, we bought the shares from Bank of Nova Scotia, which accounts for about two percent of B.T.L. But other clients of the Belize Bank have purchased other shares. And with various concerned shareholders, I suppose there is a group holding about twelve percent of B.T.L., who are very, very concerned of what is happening within B.T.L. at the moment.?

Patrick Jones
?That concern extends to yourself as well, does it?

Michael Ashcroft
?Yes it does.?

Patrick Jones
?Does that mean then that you are looking to get back as an active player in the telecommunications industry in this country?

Michael Ashcroft
?No, I don?t think the two are necessarily connected, by being a minority share holder in B.T.L. and bearing in mind there are over one thousand Belizean shareholders in B.T.L. that does not account for the number of B.T.L. employees that are shareholders of B.T.L. They all have an economic interest in B.T.L. and what I?m concerned about is they are treated fairly. And if I believe that there is anything that is happening that means that they are not being treated fairly or are not going to receive the economic value that is rightfully theirs in B.T.L. then inevitably I will have a word to say about that.?

Patrick Jones
?A word, to say does that mean you will seek to offer them more than what is being offered to them?

Michael Ashcroft
?No, I don?t think it means that I will. When I say that I will I have a word to say about that then I think that there will be pressure put on the Government, the Board of Directors of B.T.L. and hopefully that one does not have resort to litigation at the end of the day but, of course it is always there and available.?

Patrick Jones
?Are you in a position that you would want to challenge Mr. Prosser and yourself get into the game and trying to buy out the small shareholders?

Michael Ashcroft
?No, no, I?m a basic pussycat that wouldn?t want to go into an arena of aggressive tigers and I would hope that I would never have to do that.

Patrick Jones
?You?re not interested in getting back into the monopoly game in Belize called B.T.L.??

Michael Ashcroft
?No, I think that we are moving into a hypothetical world I have exited it last year for the well publicize reasons that I gave at the time. At the moment, there is a deal between Mr. Prosser and the Government of Belize. We all have our different views as to the merits or otherwise that particular deal but that is what there is there. My primary interest at the moment is that the minority shareholders of B.T.L. get a fair shake and why shouldn?t they??