By: Omar Silva: Editor/Publisher

🗞 NATIONAL PERSPECTIVE BELIZE I DIGITAL 2026

www.nationalperspectivebz.com

Belize City: Monday 12th January 2026 Edition

Investigative Editorial

“Ignorance, Mr. Prime Minister, is not a defense—it’s an indictment.”

The Great Sellout Nobody Authorized

How is it possible that a multi-million-dollar state asset like Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL)—once the crown jewel of nationalization and sovereign pride—is being quietly carved up behind closed doors and handed to private hands under the guise of ignorance?

Belizeans, brace yourselves. The latest revelation surrounding the BTL-Fortress–DigiCell spectrum deal is not just a slap in the face. It is a warning shot that no public asset is safe, and that this administration, led by Prime Minister John Briceño, is either complicit or dangerously incompetent.

For months, the government has remained mum about the full extent of the Fortress Energy-BTL arrangement. Belizeans only learned about this scandal through U.S. court documents, not through transparency from Belmopan. Even then, the Prime Minister tried to feign ignorance—stating on national television that he “didn’t know” the specifics of the negotiations, and that it was BTL’s board doing its “own thing.”

But let’s be clear: BTL is not a private company. It is publicly owned. It is the people’s company. Any action to lease, sell, or give away its spectrum—the digital airwaves we all rely on for communication, commerce, and education—requires parliamentary and regulatory oversight. Yet the Briceño administration turned a blind eye.

Who Authorized the $70 Million Spectrum Giveaway?

The known details are damning: BTL entered into a sweetheart deal with U.S.-based Fortress Energy, a firm with clear geopolitical interests. The deal granted Fortress exclusive rights to Belize’s 700 MHz spectrum—some of the most valuable real estate in telecom—without public consultation or parliamentary ratification. In return, BTL secured a $70 million line of credit.

But here’s the catch: this was not an arms-length business transaction—it was a geopolitical and economic coup that effectively privatized Belize’s digital future for a loan.

Ask yourself: Who benefits when a private foreign entity gains control of the same spectrum used for mobile broadband, national security communications, and emergency response?

It’s certainly not the Belizean people.

Briceño’s Ignorance Defense Falls Flat

When confronted, Prime Minister Briceño distanced himself from the deal, claiming he was unaware of the specifics, despite the fact that he is the head of the majority shareholder—the Government of Belize. His plea of ignorance is either a deliberate lie or an admission of gross negligence.

Let us recall that this same Prime Minister proudly led the charge to “take back BTL” from Lord Ashcroft in 2020—vowing it would “never be privatized again.” His party campaigned on economic sovereignty, national asset protection, and public transparency.

Today, he presides over a government that allowed a shadowy, secretive deal to convert a public monopoly into a foreign-backed digital landlord.

It’s a betrayal. And worse, it’s a return to the very neoliberal policies that the People’s United Party once denounced.

Where is the Public Utilities Commission (PUC)?

One of the most shocking aspects of this scandal is the silence of the regulatory authorities.

Why has the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) not issued a statement?

Why has there been no public consultation, no parliamentary debate, and no formal inquiry into the legality of the deal?

This silence suggests one of two possibilities:

• The PUC was either bypassed, neutering its regulatory authority,
• Or it approved the deal in collusion, raising serious questions about conflict of interest and regulatory capture.

Either way, Belize’s regulatory framework has been sidelined, creating a dangerous precedent for future asset seizures and backroom privatizations.

The Real Price of Silence: From Sovereignty to Subservience

The spectrum deal with Fortress Energy is not just about telecom—it’s about who controls Belize’s future.

At a time when Belize should be leveraging its digital assets for education, innovation, and regional integration, the Briceño administration has quietly handed the keys to a foreign gatekeeper.

nd this comes on the heels of BTL’s declining performance, rising user complaints, and an overall sense of decay in national utilities. How ironic that the very platform built to ensure Belizean control over its telecommunications is now being used as collateral to enrich a few, while burdening generations to come.

A Call for Investigation, Transparency—and Accountability

The time has come for the Belizean people to demand answers. Parliament must convene an immediate independent investigation into the BTL-Fortress deal. The Auditor General, Ombudsman, and Integrity Commission must weigh in. The Senate must act.

We must ask:

• Who at BTL approved the deal?
• What role did the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development play?
• Was Cabinet informed—or did they rubber stamp it?
• Why wasn’t this deal debated in the House?
• Has national security been compromised by foreign access to our spectrum?

And most importantly: Who benefits from the proceeds of privatizing our national assets?

Final Word: You Can’t Reform What You Secretly Undermine

BTL is more than a telecom provider—it is a symbol of Belizean resistance against foreign control. If we allow this government to dismantle that legacy through lies, silence, and subterfuge, then we may as well admit that our democracy is no longer ours.

Prime Minister Briceño, you cannot hide behind the board of BTL.

You are the board of Belize. And you’ve failed the people.

The truth will not be negotiated.

“Public wealth must never be bartered for private greed. Not now. Not ever.”

🖊️ National Perspective Belize – 12th January 2026