By Zoila Palma: Leader of the Opposition Tracy Panton is demanding public disclosure on the proposed BTL acquisition of SMART/ SpeedNet.
The UDP calls for “Immediate public disclosure of all independent assessments and valuations used to justify the consolidation. 
Full transparency on financing sources and any public exposure or contingent liabilities.
Parliamentary consideration and debate before the process proceeds any further,” Panton said.
In addition, the UDP is calling for binding consumer protections on pricing and service quality and clear competition and merger-control rules to prevent abuse of market power.
The UDP says that it is not anti-technology and not anti-investment.
“We are firmly opposed to secrecy; we are opposed to back-door monopolies; and, we are opposed to any government posture that assumes unilateral latitude over assets that belong to the Belizean people,” Panton added.
The UDP invites everyone to stand firm for a zero-tolerance posture on corruption and abuse in public and quasi-governmental institutions.