A ride on the Barrow Express…danger ahead!

By: Mike Rudon Jr.

There’s a definite downside to being a writer who is recognized as a political sycophant and whose works are found within the pages of a political newspaper. Sure, rabid supporters of the PUP generally think it’s good stuff, probably the same way they think anything negative about the UDP is good stuff. Rabid supporters of that other party now in Government will think it’s all a load of bull, the same way they think anything negative about the UDP is a load of bull. And the downside – well, the thing is that a lot of people in the middle give political writing like this little credibility because of who is writing it. Hell, this piece you’re reading now could be the Holy Grail of literary works, but because I wrote it, some people will dismiss the truth of the message because of the political persuasion of the messenger. See what I’m getting at? But with that said and out of the way, the truth is still the truth is still the truth. And the truth is that Belizeans are being taken for a ride. All Aboard…the Barrow Express to nowhere nice is on the tracks.

I happened to sit in on a press conference given by the Board of Directors of BTL (that’s Barrow Telemedia Ltd. to you) today and I can tell you that it was a scary experience. And no, it wasn’t scary because of the hate looks directed at yours truly by my and GOB’s favourite attorney Lois or other select members of the UDP – though that was plenty unsettling. The press conference made me uneasy because it basically confirmed what I’ve been thinking (also saying and writing) at every opportunity. BTL (insert Belize here if you wish) is a rudderless ship with an ego-driven, ability-challenged megalomaniac power junkie at the helm. See, the press conference was a sterling example of all glitter and no substance. There was nothing positive to report, which was a little surprising considering Barrow’s tear-jerking, heart-pounding soliloquy in the House of Representatives when he hijacked the company. Hell, after that speech Belizeans would have been perfectly justified in believing that with the ‘white man/virus/Lucifer/source of all evil’ booted out and Sir Barrow at the helm astride his red stallion, gold dust would have rained out of the sky atop BTL and common Belizeans like me and you would be in the glory.

But that hasn’t exactly happened, has it. What we heard today is what we’ve been saying all along. BTL head and Barrow’s telecommunications guru Net Vasquez confirmed that there will be practically endless litigation ahead. With the exception of Lois, nobody exactly smiled at that news. But from the very beginning of this mess, when Dean Barrow stood up and said that his move to hijack BTL would bring an end to all the legal battles versus Ashcroft, we humble politicos have maintained that Barrow was lying. So today’s confirmation by Vasquez was no news to us. And then there’s this pesky little rumour that BTL has been losing money under GOB management. Barrow had said that was absolute nonsense, a dastardly lie by the opposition. Well then Barrow should have a conversation with Net Vasquez, who today confirmed that the company’s revenues are down, and he believes that the financial situation will be worse by the time figures for this fiscal year roll in. He said it, Dean. Well, actually we did too. And we weren’t lying.

In my mind, what it all boils down to is this. A caller to the morning show on Vibes Radio made some comments today about being careful to not defend ‘the white man.’ We’ve all heard the Kremandala/Barrow spin on ‘the white man raping the country/get rid of the despot/give BTL back to Belizeans.’ See, that’s all well and good. But it’s important to not be carried away by the passion of a cause and to call a spade a spade. So here goes – if BTL is now for Belizeans, how exactly are you and I and the little man on the street benefitting? I challenged the caller on the show this morning and I use this forum to send out the same challenge. Let’s leave the ‘white man/virus/Lucifer/source of all evil’ out of this for the time being. Today, more than three months after Barrow gave back BTL to Belizeans, what have we gotten out of it? As I looked at the head table this morning, I could see what certain people have gotten out of it, that’s for damned sure. I could practically imagine Lois laughing hysterically atop a mountain of cash. She sure has benefitted from the BTL move. So has Anwar. So have Net Vasquez and a few other select UDP cronies. But how have we benefitted? Are we getting better service…well no! Are we getting increased features…well no! Have we gotten better rates…certainly not!

So since BTL is now for us, where exactly can we line up to collect all the benefits?

Hate the messenger if you will, and to that I say only – get in line. But use the sense God gave you and think about the message. Think about what has come out of the whole BTL thing. Think about what lies ahead. Think about the addition $45million in debt with which we have been burdened. Think about the money which must be paid to Lord Ashcroft as compensation because our Prime Minister decided to plop his balls on the table and play big. Think about the fact that the only Belizeans who have really benefitted from the BTL takeover are Barrows and FoBs (Friends of Barrow). I think if you do all this you may come to the same conclusion I have. We’ve all, through choice or kicking and screaming, been treated to a special ride on the Barrow Express.

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