Cellular-News, UK
The Central American country of Belize, known for its paradise-like surroundings, is in a state of chaos again this week with vital telecom services and who runs them still in question. Last week, rioting, looting, violence and vandalism occurred, harming its tourism industry and angering Belizeans as workers shut down all telephone communications in the country -- land lines, cellular and Internet. In February, the Government of Belize (GOB) illegally seized control, from a U.S. investor, of the Belize phone company known as BTL. Originally invited by the government to take over BTL and modernize Belize's telecommunications, the U.S. investor was forced to go to federal court in Miami. In March, the U.S. court ordered the government to restore control to the U.S. investor and the court has now held the Belize Government in contempt.
BTL's workers, the teachers union, university students, the National Trade Union Congress of Belize and the United Democratic Party, the opposition party, have demanded that Prime Minster Said Musa and his government resign. It was Musa who precipitated some of the unrest by illegally seizing control of BTL, which is owned by Belize Telecom Ltd., a subsidiary of U.S.-based Innovative Communication Company.
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