Audrey Wallace, Director - BTL
"The fiscal year 2015/2016 has been an exceptional year for BTL in terms of revenues and achieving corporate milestones."

Nestor Vasquez, 14th year as Chairman - BTL
"We added over 25,000 new mobile customers to our customer base. We more than doubled the number of postpaid mobile customers and we more than tripled the number of customers using 4g data on a regular basis."

Anwar Barrow, Chmn. Exec. Cmte. - BTL
"This year has been a banner year we had the highest revenue that we've ever had in the history of the company. We've had one of the biggest jumps year on year, a jump of almost 14 million as I said earlier and we expect to continue that upward trend."

Jules Vasquez reporting
That amounted to an almost 5 million dollar increase in profits, which made these shareholders very happy. There seemed to be fewer shareholders at this year's AGM, and for the first time in memory not one of them had a question for their Board of Directors.

If one wants to be an optimist, you might say that they were held in thrall by the roving presentation of their CEO:

Anwar Barrow, Chmn. Exec. Cmte. - BTL
"And the business model is changing where in 3 or 4 years the customers will no longer be paying for talk and text. They will be paying for data because they will be doing everything over the internet. More people will have data, more people will be using whatsapp for calls or vibe and send text. We have to align our company and our business model with that reality."

A future with glowing prospects according to the long serving chairman:

Nestor Vasquez, 14th year as Chairman - BTL
"It adds up to 14 years and I have a reason for saying this because I can say without reservation that never before has BTL been so poised, so absolutely ready for greatness. I can assure all of you that we at BTL are building the momentum to become great to achieve our goal of becoming one of the top three providers of telecommunications in the entire region."

Anwar Barrow, Chmn. Exec. Cmte. - BTL
"In 2015 as far as download speeds, we were 3rd from the bottom in the region. We want to be and we will be in the top 3 by 2020 with everything we're doing."

But are they doing everything to the benefit of their shareholders, while taxpayers foot the bill?

Jules Vasquez, 7News
"While bill continues to be celebrated as a gilded investment, its shareholders will take home nice dividends much better than BEL or BWSL, it is doing so at the cost of taxpayers. It is a millstone, critics will argue around the necks of taxpayers."

Anwar Barrow, Chmn. Exec. Cmte. - BTL
"Your question is?"

Jules Vasquez, 7News
"My question is, how do you reconcile that its government's issue but at the same time taxpayers are looking on from outside saying 'how about us, what about us, what are we getting out of it for this high price we have to pay for BTL?'"

Anwar Barrow, Chmn. Exec. Cmte. - BTL
"Jules you said it quite plainly just now, it's the government's issue. I think you should prose the questions to them. We're here to run the company and run it professionally. I think the government has settled on the matter and I think questions as regards what they are getting as a shareholder and how they feel about that return should be posed to them."

But critics say a loan from the British Caribbean Bank was not booked professionally:

Jules Vasquez, 7News
"Your critics say that the profits are inflated, that in fact you all are not making provisions for example the 98 million mortgage debenture interest etc., that you all have not made adequate provisions for all the events that occurred in the entire Ashcroft wrangle. How do you respond to that criticism?"

Anwar Barrow, Chmn. Exec. Cmte.
"That is total nonsense. We have an international accounting firm which audits the books of BTL. Their name is PKF, they're an international firm and all our books are above board, and totally open and transparent."

Indeed, a note in the financials says that it is a contingent liability which the government told Telemedia on June 15th 2016 that it had to pay 74.3 million dollars, over 20 years at 3%, with the remainder a chunk of 25.8 million dollars, quote, "to be considered for waiver." The loan liability will be booked for the next fiscal year, which will affect the financials, but CEO Barrow says, better is on the way:

Anwar Barrow, Chmn. Exec. Cmte.
"You will not see revenues take off in the next 3 to 4 years, you will see a leveling off of profits in the medium and short term because of all the investments that we're making but we are pushing the company and putting it in a position so that you can harvest the benefit of the investments that we are making now in the future."

A future in which Barrow says he won't be making this CEO's address:

Anwar Barrow, Chmn. Exec. Cmte.
"This is my last AGM as CEO of the company. I took on this role for a specified amount of time and to really set a direction for the company as you may have seen in my presentation, and that's what I've done. The launching of the new network is going to be one of the cornerstones of that, there are more things to do but we are building a strong team, and BTL is going to continue. I'm going to continue being a part of the board, as far as I know right now and continue to support."