Well, we did ask Dean Barrow and he says that - when he was in office - his government did not award the Game contract to the Cayman registered Countache. He explained at his office this afternoon:
Dean Barrow, Attorney, BGGL
"As I understand invested in BGGL after the license has been won by BGGL and in fact after the change of administration in November 2020. So, if the prime minister is complaining about the presence of a foreign company as a shareholder in BGGL - that was done in terms of whatever consideration past for the acquisition of the shares, not only under his watch, but had to be, with respect to money transfers and that sort of thing, approved by the Central Bank of Belize. So, really that absolutely does not cut the muster - that kind of an argument about a sell out to a foreign company of the government lotteries."
"There is a fact Countache's shareholding in BGGL which then means that Countache as a Caymanian company is entitle to protection under the bilateral investment treaty between Belize and the UK. Countache is serving notice that you revoke the license, I will have to consider my options."
Jules Vasquez
"When you were in office, I believe the Ashcroft Alliance threatened to invoke it multiple times and I'm sure that you all had to go through litigation or at least take advice to fight it off. Now, you're the one invoking in on behalf of your client. An outsider observer might say well you can't have it both ways Mr. Barrow. Man, it has to make your brown eyes blue to see the former prime minister knowing what the duress this creates for the state, invoking a treaty such as this."
Dean Barrow, Attorney, BGGL
"Not at all. In terms of the Ashcroft Alliance as you have famously dub them and that's now passed into, in not lower, common parlance. but in terms of the Ashcroft Alliance, no. We did what we did with eyes wide open. We nationalize BTL."
"But I'm saying there is no question of nationalization here. The government has always owned the lotteries and have continued to own the lotteries. It's just a matter of having outsourced the management of the lotteries. Its open to them, has always been open to them at anytime to in fact as they are threatening to do now revoke the license. Just when you do that be prepared to pay."
Jules Vasquez
"It can be argued that but now you are playing with the same tactics then that the Ashcroft Alliance uses which is to concatenate their holdings in a series of offshore companies, shell companies where it is impossible to determine who the legitimate owner is and then simultaneously invoking an international treaty and arbitration if it follows to bring the government to its knees."
Dean Barrow, Attorney, BGGL
"Remember that Countache only invested in Brads Gaming Group Limited after Brads Gaming Group Limited got..."
Jules Vasquez
"But might it have done so as a hedge against what it knew the Briceno administration might want to it and in so doing is that not an Ashcroft Alliance type strategy?"
Dean Barrow, Attorney, BGGL
"Well, I don't know if you can call it an Ashcroft Alliance strategy. I don't know what motivated Countache to invest in Brads and so I am not in any position really to unravel that particular arrangement. The fact is that because there is the right of Countache to invoke the treaty, avoid the international arbitration, avoid any prospect of being dragged before any of the other international arbitration tribunals and settle with these people."
"The government is perfectly free if it thinks that this is a matter of soaring nationalism. You and I know that it is a matter of a vendetta. It is a matter of carrying through on the promise of threat made from well in advance of the last general elections, that they would put pay to Brads and the license. You are entitled in your sovereign plenitude to do this. So do it, but don't be playing the fool man and running these shadow games."
We'll have more from our interview with Dean Barrow in tomorrow's newscast when we ask him pointedly about the allegation that the gaming contract was awarded to a relative of his.
