Letters Shed Light on Dispute Surrounding BTL Director’s Resignation

Love News has obtained copies of correspondence exchanged between Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL) and former director Chandra Nisbet Cansino, shedding light on differing accounts surrounding her resignation from the company’s board.  In a resignation letter dated January 9 and addressed to BTL Chairman Mark Lizarraga, Cansino expressed discomfort with remaining on the board, citing concerns about board engagement and access to documentation related to major transactions. She stated that her decision was taken to avoid any perceived compromise of her fiduciary responsibilities and requested that her resignation be formally noted in the board’s minutes.  In response, BTL, in a letter signed by Chairman Lizarraga, rejected any suggestion that directors were excluded from information or decision-making. The company stated that all board members were fully engaged, provided with relevant documentation, and given opportunities to ask questions and seek clarification, consistent with accepted standards of transparency and sound corporate governance.  BTL further indicated that Cansino attended a meeting on January 7 with the chairman, the company’s chief financial officer, and independent external advisors, Moore Belize LLP. According to the company, that meeting included detailed briefings and supporting documentation on the proposed consolidation of telecommunications service providers. BTL noted that additional engagement opportunities were available to her prior to her resignation.  Love News understands that neither the Government of Belize nor BTL has issued a public statement on the matter. The letters obtained by Love News were acquired anonymously, and no official confirmation or clarification has been provided beyond the written correspondence reviewed.  Government officials, speaking generally on governance matters, have previously maintained that appointments to boards through statutory bodies such as the Social Security Board follow established procedures and that continuity is ensured through routine replacement when vacancies arise. In its letter, BTL thanked Cansino for her service and reiterated its commitment to good-faith engagement with its directors as it advances its corporate and national development objectives.