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Simplex Makes Simple Exit From PSU Land Case
posted (February 3, 2020)

The Public Service Union’s fight for their Hilltop Headquarters has landed in the Supreme Court in front of Justice Courtney Abel.

Viewers will remember the very public dispute that the PSU had with the Belmopan City Council after the council sold the property to the private company, Simplex Design Limited, in 2018. The PSU cried foul because according to them, this property had been the union’s base of operations for almost 20 years. They say that they should have been given the first opportunity to buy because the 2001 lease agreement with the Belmopan City Council gave them what is known as “overriding interestâ€￾ on the property.

From the Council’s perspective, the PSU had long defaulted on its lease payments, and after trying to work with them on negotiations for a purchase, the PSU’s best offer was not one that the Council could accept.

So, after a year of disputes over the land, the case is finally being heard in the Supreme Court. This afternoon, the attorneys for the PSU, the City Council, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Simplex Designs appeared before Justice Abel for series of preliminary issues. 

Simplex applied to the court to have the matter struck out against them. They are of the opinion that the PSU’s dispute is with the City Council, and not with them.

Reliable court reports are that after hearing submissions from all sides, Justice Abel has struck out the PSU’s claim against Simplex. Of important note is that the PSU is facing a counter-claim from Simplex over the Hilltop property, which is now legally owned by Simplex.

 It now stands against the City Council and the Ministry of Natural Resources. We’ll keep following the case to see how this dispute plays out.

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