In a public statement released on August 13, 2026, the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) has moved quickly to correct widespread misreports claiming it refused an invitation to attend a Cabinet meeting discussing the controversial proposed BTL-Speednet acquisition. The business advocacy group emphasized that characterizations of its refusal to engage are entirely inaccurate and a deliberate mischaracterization of the situation.
According to the official BCCI statement, the chamber’s top leadership – its president and chief executive officer – were already committed to an official trade mission when the Thursday meeting was scheduled. Both executives are part of the official Belizean government delegation traveling to El Salvador, where they will remain through August 14 to participate in the formal signing of the new Belize-El Salvador Partial Scope Agreement. This landmark trade agreement, which the BCCI has long supported, is projected to unlock significant new cross-border commercial opportunities for hundreds of small and medium-sized Belizean businesses operating across key sectors of the national economy.
Rather than turning down the meeting out of reluctance to discuss the acquisition, the BCCI explained that it formally requested a short rescheduling to accommodate this pre-existing, high-priority international commitment. The chamber has underscored that it remains fully willing and prepared to sit down with Cabinet, alongside all of Belize’s other social and industry partner groups, at any point before the scheduled final Cabinet vote on the acquisition, which is set to take place on August 18.
Turning to the substance of the proposed acquisition itself, the BCCI reaffirmed that its official position on the deal remains unchanged. The organization confirmed that its core concerns related to four critical areas – long-term market competition in Belize’s telecommunications sector, transaction transparency, corporate governance standards, and independent regulatory oversight – have not yet received clear, direct responses from the Belizean government. The BCCI stated that it will continue pressing for definitive answers from public officials before the final decision is made, to ensure any approved acquisition aligns with the best interests of Belize’s business community and broader national economy. The statement also comes amid separate reports that independent senators have pushed back against claims from BTL that they were invited to weigh in on the proposed transaction.