Yesterday Telemedia’s attorneys tried but failed to get a Supreme Court injunction to block the Magistrate’s Court from issuing another warrant for BTL CEO Dean Boyce’s arrest. The issue is in play because another 2 plus million dollars in business tax arrears was due from BTL yesterday but it was not paid. So as of this morning, Magistrate Ed Usher was free to issue another warrant for Boyce’s arrest. And that’s why bright and early today, BTL sent payment of its business tax to the Magistrate’s Court, pre-empting any possibility that a warrant could be written up for Boyce’s arrest. Today’s payment is $2.3 million and it settles the combined arrears of 4 point – 6 million for February and March, 2008.
The first half was paid last week Friday, under duress as a warrant had already been issued for Boyce’s arrest. But that’s only part of the story as the income tax department has already gotten a judgment summons out for April’s business tax arrears and that is set for hearing in Magistrate Usher’s court later this month. A summons for May is reported to be in process and June’s payment will be due on the 15th of this month. Since January of this year, BTL has been withholding the payment of its business tax based on an accommodation agreement signed in 2005 by former Prime Minister Said Musa. It allows BTL to withhold the payment of business and any other taxes until it realizes its 15% guaranteed rate of return. The agreement was signed secretly and when the new government took office there was no copy on record in any ministry of department.
