The Tribune

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

Bahamians employed by multinational companies were yesterday urged to “pull hard for Leon Williams to succeed” at the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC), a leading businessman suggesting this could pave the way for them to take top executive posts.

Franklyn Wilson, head of the Government-appointed committee that negotiated BTC’s revised shareholding arrangements, told Tribune Business that Mr Williams’s appointment, and pledges that $200 million would be invested into the company over the next three years, were a “big deal” that should not be contaminated by “partisan politics”.

Mr Wilson joined Phil Bentley, Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC) chief executive, in again refuting suggestions that Mr Williams’s return as BTC chief executive was part of the deal that saw CWC relinquish close to 2 per cent of its BTC stake.

Many observers have privately told Tribune Business that there is no other logical explanation for Mr Williams’s return come July 1, but Mr Wilson said the CWC chief had gone “to great lengths to dispel that notion” in Wednesday’s press conference.

Arguing that those offering a different version were effectively calling Mr Bentley “a liar”, Mr Wilson yesterday effectively challenged them to back their assertions with evidence - in other words, put up or shut up.

“Let us just look at what has happened,” the Sunshine Holdings chairman told Tribune Business. “The chief executive of a global company has made an assessment that a citizen of the Bahamas is a fit and proper person to run their company.

“That should be a huge deal for all Bahamians. Forget partisan politics; it has nothing to do with it.”

And, suggesting that Mr Williams’s appointment might set a precedent, Mr Wilson added: “Dozens of global companies operate through the Bahamas that have never hired Bahamians in roles like this.

“All those Bahamians working for global companies should be pulling hard for Leon to succeed. The extent to which he succeeds, somewhere a global chief executive may say it is possible for Bahamians to do this job.”

Pointing to Mr Bentley’s assertion that he made the decision to appoint Mr Williams under no pressure from anyone else, Mr Wilson said the CWC chief was above all “accountable to thousands of shareholders all over the world” for decisions he made as head of publicly traded company.

“This man has got no time to play politics in the Bahamas,” Mr Wilson told Tribune Business. “Let’s stop playing local politics; it has got nothing to do with it.”

He suggested that Mr Bentley’s comments yesterday implied that CWC had seen the need to improve BTC’s service levels, and deal with its persistent ‘dropped calls - a possible factor in the decision to replace Mr Houston.

“You can’t be out there complaining about BTC’s service, this, that and every which way when the chief executive [of CWC] does something,” Mr Wilson said.

“In effect, he said he’s doing things to make this a great company. He’s hearing the comments that this is not a great company, and he’s showing his commitment to do something about it.”

Not everyone, though, has welcomed Mr Williams’s appointment. Apart from the Government’s political opposition, Tribune Business sources said the man he is succeeding, Geoff Houston, was “in bits” over the decision to replace him.

This newspaper was told by well-informed contacts that Mr Houston had been reassured his position as BTC chief executive was safe after speculation started to swirl earlier this year that Mr Williams was in line to return.

He was only informed by CWC three weeks ago that the speculation was true, and that Mr Williams would take his position, with his formal departure date set for August 31 this year.

Mr Houston did not respond to Tribune Business messages yesterday, and is understood to be out of office this week. Sources close to the matter, though, told this newspaper that he did “not expect it to go this far”.

“He’s in shock at the moment,” one source told Tribune Business of Mr Houston. “It’s like he’s been kicked in the gut and then thrown to the sidewalk.” Mr Houston will now be leaving CWC after a 22-year career, in which he also headed its Jamaica and Channel Islands businesses.

Still, one source who has closely observed events at BTC, said the carrier’s service quality and continual ‘dropped calls’ were justification for CWC to remove Mr Houston.

“I believe that, as much as I really like him,. Geoff Houston has done a dismal job,” the source said. “The quality of service from BTC, post-privatisation, when we were supposed to have seen steps forward - a leap forward in the quality of product we have got - has been dismal.

“BTC is a marketing machine, promising all kinds of things, but you can’t have a cell phone conversation without interruption. That’s unacceptable.”

The source said Mr William’s selection was another issue, adding: “You’d have to convince me he was the only person in the world available for that job.”

Mr Wilson, meanwhile, said CWC’s planned three-year investment programme for BTC involved a sum almost as great as the $207 million purchase price it paid for its 51 per cent stake in 2011.

He lauded this as a further sign of the company’s commitment to BTC and the Bahamas, describing it as “great news”.