B.T.L. Must Answer to ‘Color Blind’ Contract

Dean Barrow

Color Blind – it’s a media production company created by Audrey Wallace, in which she is majority shareholder. She also currently holds the post of chief executive officer in the office of the Prime Minister – effectively his chief of staff – and also is a director of Belize Telemedia Limited, appointed by the Government. So is it a conflict for Wallace’s company to do business with the state-run company?  B.T.L. C.E.O. Rochus Schreiber has confirmed to other media that B.T.L. engaged Color Blind for promotional services for the recent Tech Expo in September after a bidding process for eleven thousand dollars.  Schreiber also says the Board did not take part in the decision which was left to management.  In any case, he added, B.T.L. is not part of the Government – despite being officially vested in the Constitution as such.  Prime Minister Dean Barrow said today that it is a question for B.T.L. to answer, but notes that there are rules governing interfacing between Board members and the company.

Prime Minister Dean Barrow

“I understand that there are rules at B.T.L. governing how members of the Board might be able to receive work from the company. I also understand that your organization in fact wrote to ask questions about the same issue that you’re raising, had follow-up questions after the company, B.T.L., responded to the initial query; and I thought – this according to my reports – that the matter was thoroughly and effectively explained. Really, if you all at LOVE FM are still not satisfied, you should pursue it with the C.E.O. and the Chairman of the Board of B.T.L. directors.”

Schreiber also hailed what he called “excellent results” from the company and noted that the company is ultimately accountable to its shareholders, but made its response in the interests of transparency. There are also allegations that because of her influential position, a number of government contracts will be granted to Color Blind.