About 5 weeks ago, Karen Bevans, the current Director of Tourism, made our evening news after reports emerged that she had retained, her former boss, Prime Minister Dean Barrow as her attorney. Bevans had lawyered up with the intention of suing Prime Minister John Briceno for defamation of character.
Her dispute with Briceno was about comments that he made in an interview last month to Love Television. He made certain characterizations about her employment contract with the Belize Tourism Board.
Bevans believed that those statements were untrue and defamatory, and Dean Barrow sent a lawyer letter on her behalf to the media house, and to Briceno. She was demanding a retraction, an apology, and compensation for injury to her reputation.
Since then, the matter had gone sort of dormant. So, when the media caught up with Prime Minister Briceno after today's House meeting, he was asked about it - and came just short of doubling down.
As we reported at the time, the layoffs and payouts for years of service were due to COVID 19 shutting down the tourism industry and cutting off the BTB's main source of revenue which is hotel taxes.
Examining Karen's Contract
Yesterday, snapshots of Bevans' employment contract - that Briceno just discussed were posted on Facebook.
Although there is certainly an element of political mischief-making at play, we did look at the contract. Daniel Ortiz examines some of the employment benefits that the BTB's Board of Directors agreed to provide to Bevans in this contract. Here's his story:
The PUP friendly Facebook page which calls itself "UDP Watch,"
And specializes in anti-UDP memes and rebukes, has published the employment contract between the Belize Tourism Board, and Karen Bevans, the Director of Tourism.
According to this Facebook disclosure, the BTB's Board of Directors entered into an employment contract renewal with Bevans on April 1st, 2019.
According to this binding legal document, quote, "The Director's employment under this contract starts on April 8th, 2019, and shall continue from that date for the term of five (5) years, or until terminated under the provisions set out by clause 7 of this agreement." End quote.
This means that even if the new Briceno Administration thinks that someone else should become director, the BTB, a quasi-governmental organization, will have a very painful divorce with Bevans, a matter which we'll explore later.
According to the next screenshot of the employment contract, the BTB is expected to pay her an annual salary of, quote, "$173,250 dollars or such increased salary as the parties from time to time agree" End quote.
Clause 3.1.3 says that the BTB "shall" review that salary every year on the anniversary of the commencement date and provide an increase of between 5% and 10%, based on the Director's performance.
She is also entitled to a generous annual bonus. Clause 3.3.1 says quote, "the BTB shall pay the director an annual performance bonus of up to twenty-five percent of annual salary at the end of each fiscal year, based on the performance of the BTB." End quote.
25% of her annual salary of $173,250 is a little over $43,312, which means that the Board of Directors could justify paying her that entire lump sum if performance justifies it.
And, according to clause 3.3.2, she is entitled to an annual Christmas bonus, quote, "as per the BTB Employee handbook". End quote.
Her monthly allowances, according to clause 3.2.1, are a thousand dollars for telephone and internet, and $2,000 for housing.
Another clause in the employment contract says, quote, "The BTB shall provide a suitable motor vehicle for exclusive use by the Director. The BTB assumes the responsibility of the payments of gasoline, maintenance, repairs, and cleaning" End quote.
But, the termination clause is the real headache for the new administration:
Clause 7.1.1 of the contract says, quote, "If the BTB terminates this contract of employment without cause before the expiration of the full-term of this contract, the BTB shall be liable for, and shall pay to the Director upon termination, the sums equal to all salaries and all other remuneration, and confer on the director all other benefits, that would have been due to the Director for the full remaining term of this contract." End quote.
So hypothetically, if the BTB decided to fire Bevans "without cause" on April 8th, 2021, the second anniversary of the commencement date of this contract, they would owe her 3 year's worth of salary. That's over half a million dollars. And, that sum does not include all of her other "remuneration" and "benefits" that "would have been due" throughout the life of this employment contract.
With all benefits included it's certainly a lavish contract for a quasi governmental organization, but it was agreed to and signed off on by the BTB Board of Directors - not Mrs Bevans.
Prime Minister Briceno characterised it otherwise, and Bevans's attorney Dean Barrow threatened suit:
posted (December 9, 2020)
Hon. Eamon Courtenay, Minister of Foreign Affairs
"I hope Miss Bevans won't sue the Prime Minister. That would be a sad mistake. Think about it - 1.25 million dollars and you want to sue the Prime Minister. Let's not get it twisted too early in the day."
Today, we reached out to Bevans for comment, and via telephone, she told us that quote, "If you notice, everybody touching that thing is hiding behind a fake page..." End quote.
She told us that she would make further comments, but not now because "the timing is not good". She added that this matter is, quote, "too legal right now." End quote.
Kareem says Nobody Does Nepotism like UDP
Earlier we brought you the statements from the newly sworn in Ministers - and that was all before the actual business of the House sitting.
After, the PUP presented a Good Governance Motion intended to make a public commitment to transparency and good governance practices.
In it, the 26 elected representatives commit to fulfilling the promises in their manifesto as well as to not abuse their offices for personal gain, among other things.
And, depending on your view of politicians, it's either the heights of hot air, or, genuinely, a step in the right direction.
Well, the opposition was not impressed. The area rep for Mesopotamia and the Opposition Leader both stood up to express their disagreement with the motion - claiming that even if it is passed, the government will not abide by it.
Party Leader Patrick Faber called the government hypocritical, and gave the example that after less then two months in office, they have already made a number of nepotistic appointments.
Area rep for Caribbean Shores, Kareem Musa, stood up to dispute this.
And while that happened a few hours ago, the meeting is still going at this hour - hopefully 30+ sweetheart passes have been issued. You can see the rest of it on our Facebook page.
