So, while those are Barrow's views as a former Prime Minister and former political leader, our interview with him was in his capacity as attorney for Brads Gaming Company and its owner, Kim Chee.
For months now, Barrow and his client, Brads Gaming Company have been challenging the government's decision to slap a 12.5% lottery tax on Boledo, lottery, and jackpot. It was presented as just another revenue-raising initiative by the government.
But viewers will also remember that PM Briceno has made the point that with this tax, his government is getting its hands on millions of dollars in lost tax revenues, which the Barrow Administration didn't seek to collect.
But Brad's says this tax was introduced to drive them out of business as the sole license holder for the Government's Boledo lotteries.
The case continued today before Justice Lisa Shoman. And here's what Barrow had to say about the position of the two sides in these preliminary bouts of legal sparring:
The Government has retained Senior Counsel Douglas Mendez as its lead attorney. The two sides have filed a raft of applications and counter applications before Justice Shoman to challenge the other side's legal strategy. But, the case will have to be assigned to another judge. That's because Justice Shoman's last day as a high court judge in Belize is next Friday. Then, she is off to take up a distinguished post as General Counsel to CARICOM.
