We also asked the Attorney General about how the Briceno Administration will address last week's big judgment from the Supreme Court in favor of the Maya of Southern Belize.
As we told you, the Acting Chief Justice has ruled that the past administration violated Maya Customary Land Tenure for the residents of Jalacte. Between March 2013 and November 2015, the then government entered into a 47-million-dollar contract with CISCO Construction to fully upgrade the rural road from the Dump area, all the way to the edge of that southern village.
It was a major upgrade for the residents of the south, but because farmlands were destroyed in the construction process, the court found in favor of the village. The government must return any vacant lands that were acquired during that time, but more importantly, the judge has ordered the government to pay Jalacte Villagers damages totaling just over 6.3 million dollars.
So, how will the AG address this one? Before she was appointed as Attorney General, she was the chief attorney advocating on behalf of the claimants, and she told us today, that she has to put distance between herself and this case.
Here's the conversation on that judgment:
Reporter
"How seriously or how closely has the new government consider this matter at this time?"
Hon. Magali Marin- Young, Attorney General
"Well as you said it's a newly handed down decision. The crowns at the AG ministry are presently reviewing the matter and will be preparing a memo to the minister responsible for indigenous affairs about the merits about that case. So I don't want to preempt them, but I'm sure that the minister responsible for indigenous affairs will speak to the media on that once she is fully briefed as to the merits of an appeal or going forward with that judgement."
Reporter
'Where does your office sit on that particular matter given that we understand that cases and appeals are in the realm of the attorney general's ministry when before you were appointed as AG you were their chief counsel in this particular advocating on behalf of the claimants?"
Hon. Magali Marin- Young, Attorney General
"Yes. that is true. But at the AG ministry functions like a law firm and we are the law firm for each ministry, so the AG and the crowns act on the instructions of each minister on a particular matter, so it is true that I acted for the Mayans in that particular case, but the instructions would have to come from the minister responsible for indigenous affairs."
Reporter
"How would your advice factor into that matter?"
Hon. Magali Marin- Young, Attorney General
"Clearly, my firm acted for the Mayan land rights and I have try to remove myself, so I have left it to the assistant solicitor general Miss Samantha Matute to advise Minister Dolores and for her to give Miss Matute instructions on that."
Reporter
"So in a situation where may be the government, the wisdom might be not to pursue and appeal for the case, if you feel as though it's not a winnable case therefore, causing the government of Belize to lose money, how would you voice such a concern given that you are trying to provide distance between yourself and the case."
Hon. Magali Marin- Young, Attorney General
'Clearly, I have to rely on the professionalism of the crowns at the AG ministry who have been involved for the other side of the case. So, I have to remove myself and they will be advising Minister Dolores. These cases are not personal to us. These cases are argued based on the facts and merits and I have confidence that Minister Dolores will get sound advice from the crowns who are currently responsible for it."
