And turning now to parliament...there was a 5-hour Senate meeting to consider all of the official government business that emerged during last Wednesday's meeting of the House.
That led to a robust debate in the upper house Senate on several matters. But, the topic which sparked the longest back and forth among the Senators was the 76-million-dollar settlement, which the Briceno Administration has agreed to pay to the Ashcroft-related company, Belize International Services Limited.
The Senate debate on this topic lasted for a little under two and a half hours. We start first with a detailed explanation from the Leader of Government Business, Eamon Courtenay.
As viewers will remember, he and his law firm represented BISL in the lawsuits over the nationalization of the registries. So, he is probably the most informed senator on the topic. Here's what he had to say about how the then Government's lead attorney warned the Barrow Administration to settle this lawsuit:
Senator Eamon Courtenay - Leader of Government Business
"Madam President, if I may again quote from justice at paragraph 314 of the judgment, he says and I quote. However, in 2013, the new government that had been installed in 2008, it took the position that the 2005 extension was unlawful. On the 4th June 2013, what was formally asserted by this new government was that the extension was wholly invalid, That that 2003 renewal would require would expire on the 10th of June 2013, and that the government would assume control of the registries on the 11th June 2013, that is in seven days time. On the 8th of June 2013, an order was gazetted by the Registrar of Merchant Shipping. This official state action effectively gave the government control of the head office of IMMARBE. And then, on the 11th June 2013, the government forcefully took possession of both IBCR, the IBC Registry, and IMMARBE, a governmental and administrative coup d'etat of the registry had been effected, and BISL was thrown out of the registries. Just as they forcibly acquired BTL and BEL, they stronged BISL. We were assured, just like in the case of BEL and BTL, fear not. Belizean taxpayers are not at risk because we have the best legal advice, and all of this is legal. Dr. Juratowitch, who was advising the Government of Belize, wrote to the Attorney General - Senator Peyrefitte, who is not here - and advised the government to settle this matter. And row three, he says the likely exposure of the government was 112 million Belize dollars. There are, we think, very good reasons to try to settle the claim, if at all possible."
