Dated August 18, 2026, a new controversy has emerged in Belize’s telecommunications sector after the national Cabinet made a key acquisition decision, drawing sharp pushback from major national labor unions over the confrontational tone of a recent statement from telecom operator Speednet.
Leaders of two of Belize’s most influential labor groups have made clear their position: they do not oppose healthy industry competition, nor do they hold inherent opposition to Speednet as a company. What they do reject, they emphasize, is the unprofessional and hostile framing of Speednet’s official press comment released after Cabinet’s ruling.
Ella Waight, president of the National Trade Union Congress of Belize (NTUCB), laid out the unions’ stance in a public address, noting that organized labor across the country shares the widespread public support for open competition in the telecom space. “Competition drives progress, and every Belizean benefits when we have a functioning, open market. Better services and lower prices are a win for all of us,” Waight stated. “But that does not mean we will accept any kind of bad-faith posturing. The recent press release from Speednet (which operates under the Smart brand) left a sour taste in the mouths of workers across Belize. It came off as vindictive and self-serving, rather than a constructive contribution to the ongoing industry debate.”
The Belize Communication Workers Union (BCWU) has gone a step further, issuing a direct call to the Belizean government to maintain all of its state telecommunications contracts with the country’s national telecom provider, Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL). BCWU General Secretary Harrison August stressed that while unions welcomed Cabinet’s recent vote blocking the disputed acquisition, words are not enough to back that position.
“Cabinet’s rejection of the acquisition was the right call, but actions speak louder than words,” August said. “We are tired of seeing the same Cabinet ministers shift government business away from BTL and channel those contracts over to Smart. It is time for all Belizeans to stand behind our national telecommunications provider. We need to send a clear message to private operators that we will not accept strong-arm tactics: they cannot hold the country hostage to force through a deal that they refuse to provide transparent documentation for, documentation that would let the public make an informed, confident decision.”
For its part, Speednet has defended its position, arguing that because the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has formally designated BTL as a dominant market provider, all government telecom tenders must be put through a formal, open public bidding process to comply with regulations.
This report is a transcribed version of an evening television newscast, with Kriol-language remarks transcribed using a standardized spelling system for accuracy.