Belizean Prime Minister John Briceño has maintained his position of non-involvement regarding mounting speculation about telecommunications company Speednet’s potential acquisition by government-owned Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL). During recent press inquiries, the Prime Minister consistently redirected questions to his brother, Jaime Briceño, who holds connections to Speednet’s operations.
When pressed for specifics regarding the rumored buyout timeline, Briceño offered neither confirmation nor denial of the transaction’s existence. He emphasized his separation from family business matters, stating respectfully that journalists should approach his brother directly for information pertaining to Speednet’s corporate affairs.
The Prime Minister elaborated on the government’s relationship with public utilities, noting that while BTL remains government-owned, it operates alongside Belize Electricity Limited (BEL) and Belize Water Services Limited (BWSL) as private entities. Briceño suggested that should such an acquisition proceed, the involved companies would bear responsibility for transparently justifying how the transaction serves national interests.
The conversation intensified when a reporter highlighted concerns about perceived conflict of interest, noting the Briceño family potentially stands to gain approximately fifty million dollars from the deal. The Prime Minister dismissed awareness of such financial arrangements, jokingly remarking that he might need to confront his brother about these alleged figures.