The government of Belize is facing another big lawsuit - and this time it's from Medigen and its sister company Pharmacy Express, owned by Julius and Angela Zabaneh. That's the same family of companies which was much in the news recently when Pharmacy Express applied for a 7 million dollar loan from the Social Security Board.
Well now - Medigen says government owes it close to two million dollars, first, for not paying for medicines which it contracted them to buy, and, second, for searching its pharmacies at the tourism village unlawfully.
A few days ago, the company's attorney Godfrey Smith wrote to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Health basically asking when government will pay for 1.6 million dollars in pharmaceutical products delivered to and accepted by the Ministry of Health in the last fiscal year.
But, the Ministry of Health ended up rejecting many of the meds on the basis that they didn't meet standards. The supplier disputes that though and has provided certificates to demonstrate that his products are up to par.
And while that is one aspect of the dispute, the other arises from early last month when the Ministry of Health went on a search, seizure and shutdown of Pharmacy Express's drug stores in the fort Street Tourism Village.
The attorney says that the operation was Illegal, arbitrary and excessive, and that it commenced without a valid search warrant.
And while the matter could end up in court for breach of contact and constitutional violations - we are told that attorney Smith - acting for Pharmacy Express has urged Government to agree to a settlement.
We'll keep following the case.
