7 News Belize

PM Takes Public Swipe At Supreme Court Judge
posted (February 21, 2019)
Tonight the Prime Minister is making headlines for taking a public swipe at a Supreme Court Judge. On January 22nd, Supreme Court Justice Courtney Abel made a ruling that raised eyebrows: he said that business taxes which the Belize Bank owes the government can be held against the unpaid UHS debt that Government owes the Bank.

That's the 90 plus million-dollar award that the Caribbean Court of Justice has ordered the government to pay the Bank. Parliament has voted against appropriating funds to make the payment.

So, since the UDP led parliament won't authorize payment from the consolidated revenue fund, the Bank went to the Supreme Court looking for another way to get its pound of flesh - by withholding millions of dollars in business tax payments. The judge agreed, and in an address as his annual Business Forum at the Civic Center this morning, the Prime Minister said that as a consequence of the judgment, the government has lost 14.1 million dollars in tax revenue and plans to appeal. But, the PM took issue with Justice Abel not for his ruling but for what he characterized as his dismissive treatment of the government's crown counsels:

Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"It cannot be right for a judge to treat, not just representatives of the crown or the government, any representatives of litigants before him in the fashion that our people complain of."

Jules Vasquez, reporter
"Sir, but might you be accused of judicial intolerance, in so far as you are the head of the executive and the legislator and you are taking issue in a public forum in stern language with the supreme court. You have also notably - your government and the legislator has taken a position against a decision by the CCJ."

Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"You have that wrong. We haven't taken no position against a decision by the CCJ. The CCJ's decision if you are talking about the Belize Bank matter is valid and we recognized it as valid. It is a matter of how and when the funds would be voted to satisfy it. But coming back to this..."

Jules Vasquez, reporter
"But you voted against..."

Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"Yes I did. But coming back to this particular judge, not too long before the Belize Bank matter, there was a case in front of madam Justice Arana, where somebody was seeking compensation for land acquired by government. I think our valuer suggested that the amount payable was 5-6 million. out of it the judge awarded 20-22 million. Now, of course we are not happy with that decision and that's a decision that we are going to appeal, but not a soul can complain about the attitude of the judges, the demeanour of the judge, the even-handiness of the judge in terms of treating the litigants or counsel for the parties appearing before her. So it's not a question of the merits of the decision. That's for an appeal. But it really is that this has reach epic proportions, but no, I am sorry. I thought about it long and hard. I made some notes in the speech. I removed the notes and limited myself in the written speech to I think one sentence, but I'm afraid I could not contain myself if it was perhaps in the view of some a little bit or maybe a lot intemperate on my part. So be it."

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