Gerard Borely comments:
Thank you Prime Minister.
On behalf of Cable & Wireless Communications I’d like to say that we are pleased to complete this transaction.
I would like to thank the Prime Minister, his Government and the privatization committee again for choosing Cable & Wireless Communications as their new partner in BTC.
I would also like to thank all the bodies who gave their permissions for the transaction to be completed and all those who worked on this process.
I would like to welcome BTC colleagues to the Cable & Wireless Communications family. They will find us a fair employer, committed to creating working environments where colleagues feel engaged.
We are proud to be here. BTC, and indeed The Bahamas, will be very important to Cable & Wireless Communications and our operations across the region.
The completion of this transaction marks the beginning of a new era for BTC.
It is, as has been said before, the first step towards liberalisation. Our experience around the world tells us that the customer will be the winner from that process.
Our role is to help ensure that BTC continues to trade successfully in this new era. We’ll do that by focusing on the needs of our customers and communities.
BTC will win when its customers win.
As per our agreement with Government we have appointed a new Chief Executive today, Geoff Houston.
He is currently meeting colleagues at BTC.
We’ll be holding a press conference tomorrow to outline more about our plans for the business and to give you the opportunity to meet him.
I’m also pleased to announce that Kirk Griffin, the Acting President and CEO, has agreed to stay on as an advisor to the business for an interim period.
In closing I’d just like to reiterate that we are excited to be here and look forward to a successful partnership with Government. I’m sure that this will be the start of a great new era for telecommunications in the Bahamas.
Gerard Borely, Chief Financial Officer, LIME
Gerard Borely, a Trinidad national, joined the business as Chief Financial Officer in November 2009, responsible for strategy, planning and the effective integration of the financial systems of all LIME markets. Gerard brings over 15 years of corporate finance, strategy and management experience to LIME, having most recently served as Managing Director – Corporate Banking and previously, regional Chief Financial Officer at First Caribbean International Bank Limited.
His corporate experience also includes senior positions at Ernst & Young (Trinidad) where he developed core competences in due diligence, forensic investigations and share valuations.
Gerard is a qualified Fellow of the Association of Certified Chartered Accountants (UK). He is based in Barbados.
