And while Ashcroft got his tax debt settled and leaves his options open with a combined 25% holding, Jeffrey Prosser is another story: by our heat check, he's about 100 degrees away form keeping cool on this one. His Washington Attorney, Lanny Davis this evening issued a press statement criticizing the Prime Minister's announcement.
The Davis statement says that with the Ashcroft deal, the Prime Minister has put the Government of Belize in contempt of U.S. Federal Court. Davis says that at a hearing this afternoon in Miami, Federal Judge Ursula Ungaro-Benages confirmed that the BTL Board of Directors remains under the control of Jeffrey Prosser. Davis's statement goes on to say that the sale of the shares to Ashcroft is not valid, but even if it was, government and Ashcroft could only get together to name four directors. It's an important and, by our read of the articles, possibly correct point and one that would leave the board deadlocked, not in Government and Ashcroft's control. Still that's a matter for the lawyers to decide but first, Davis insists that Government will have to answer to a Miami court on Monday for contempt.
And while that matter is left to the lawyers, back on the solid political landscape of Belize the Prime Minister has confirmed what we've been reporting for a week that Carlisle's $12 million tax debt is a write off, the first question is what next for the unions. We spoke to Dylan Reneau this evening and he told us that the council is reviewing the Prime Minister's statement, but it confirms to him that government's sacred cows are more sacred than ever.
