Weekly Report - 03 September 2009 (WR-09-35)

BELIZE | Telecommunications. Last week the United Democratic Party (UDP) government assumed control over Belize's main telecommunications company, Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL), after both houses of parliament approved a bill to take over 94% of the company's shares. BTL was formerly owned by Lord Michael Ashcroft, the deputy chairman of the British Conservative Party. A major investor in Belize, Ashcroft has political links with the opposition People's United Party (PUP), which lost control in last year's election. The takeover, which follows protracted wrangling between the government and the company, was dressed up by Prime Minister Dean Barrow as an attempt by a small nation to liberate itself from the overbearing influence of a billionaire. “Lord Michael Ashcroft is an extremely powerful man. His net worth may well be equal to Belize's entire GDP",  Barrow declared, before going on to accuse Ashcroft of being “predatory" and having subjected the former colony to “new age slavery". Ashcroft's spokesperson however said that he no longer owns BTL, and that his name had been dragged into the controversy for purely political reasons.

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