Smart Awaits CCJ Decision on B.T.L. Case

Eamon Courtenay

Eamon Courtenay is also the attorney for Smart, currently waiting for a judgment in a case against the Public Utilities Commission at the Caribbean Court of Justice. It involves the payment of fees for what is called a point to point link. Smart claims that they are being grossly overcharged for the license. There’s an interesting aside in the case which came up during arguments. The decision of the CCJ will also affect B.T.L. because that telecommunications provider has not been paying for the license. Courtenay explained how a loss for Smart at the CCJ will be a much greater loss for B.T.L.

Eamon Courtenay, Senator, People’s United Party

“My clients, SpeedNet say that the fee that they should pay for the fourteen links that they were attempting to get is fourteen hundred dollars. The PUC says no, it is seven hundred and ninety two thousand, five hundred –a huge difference. My client paid the first year under protest, without prejudice. We’re going to Court to challenge it. Since then they have not paid, so all of this amount has accrued. What came out at the CCJ was the admission from the PUC that Belize Telemedia has not paid a single dollar for the point to point links. If Speednet has to pay seven hundred and ninety two thousand, five hundred per year, then Telemedia has to pay much more than that because it is a much bigger company and carries much more calls, so it’s a huge amount accrued for Telemedia and we were told at the Court that they have not paid a dollar towards those license fees.”

Interestingly, if SpeedNet loses its case at the CCJ then Telemedia will be forced to pay millions in arrears for the point to point link from 2012 to today. If SpeedNet wins its case then Telemedia will pay much less in fees accrued. We figure at least in this case it’s safe to say that the principals of B.T.L. and rooting for the competition.