Cabinet Says "No" to 90 Million for Belize Bank

Cabinet met today in Belmopan - and according to unofficial reports - members decided unanimously that the UDP Representatives in the House will vote "no" to paying 90.6 million dollars to the Belize Bank. The Prime Minister will outline the formal position tomorrow at a press conference.

As we have reported, the CCJ granted permission for the Belize Bank Limited to enforce a 2013 arbitration award against the Government of Belize. That was 6 days ago, and since then, 9 UDP Representatives have gone on record to say they will vote against paying. Today, when they left Cabinet we asked if they had been persuaded otherwise - and while they all deferred to the PM - it's clear that, coming out of that meeting, the hardline was firmer than ever. We start with Wilfred Elrington who had told us over the weekend that he would vote against paying:...

Hon. Wilfred Elrington- Pickstock Representative
"The Prime Minister is going to be giving a press conference, he is going to go into detail along with the other members of the cabinet I am sure tomorrow."

Jules Vasquez - Reporter
"But is it safe to say that after today's cabinet meeting your position remains the same?"

Hon. Wilfred Elrington
"It's not going to change, it has only become more firm."

Jules Vasquez
"They had a big meeting, a cabinet meeting, you went in with a very clear…"

Hon. Michael Finnegan- Mesopotamia Representative
"I feel the same way."

Jules Vasquez
"You said that you could be persuaded otherwise."

Hon. Michael Finnegan
"I feel the same way. I will go to my grave before I change."

Jules Vasquez
"We spoke to you last week and you said that your position was a fixed and unalterable no. Have you heard anything in the cabinet meeting which would make you say that perhaps I need to revise my position?"

Hon. Tracy Taegar Panton
"My position was not only based on my personal views but the views of members of my constituency. Tomorrow we will have a press conference and government's official position will be tabled."

Jules Vasquez
"But your position on behalf of your constituents remains the same?"

Hon. Tracy Taegar Panton
"It remains the same."

Jules Vasquez
"When this matter comes to the House of Representatives, how will you vote as a representative for Orange Walk East?"

Hon. Elodio Aragon- Orange Walk East Representative
"Well if this matter comes to the House you know I stand for the people of this country. I stand for what is right and definitely I would not support that."

Jules Vasquez
"But what is right, theoretically, if a debt is owed then it must be paid."

Hon. Elodio Aragon
"Right but my whole thing here Jules is that we have to understand the big picture in this. My simple answer is that I am here for the people I am here to ensure that we protect the Belizean people."

Jules Vasquez
"Hugo, we spoke last week and you said that the people of Corozal North have told you that you should not support this and as a representative you are duty bound to not support it. Is there anything in the cabinet today that would make you change your mind on that position?"

Hon. Hugo Patt- Corozal North Representative
"We will have a press conference tomorrow Jules and all the questions that you want to ask you will have umpteen amount of opportunities to ask and you will get the responses there."

Jules Vasquez
"But for the people of Corozal North only."

Hon. Hugo Patt
"For the entire country."

Jules Vasquez
"For the people of Corozal North, your position remains the same?"

Hon. Hugo Patt
"Tomorrow we will address that issue, Jules."

Jules Vasquez
"When we spoke to you last week minister you were hard-lined."

Hon. Anthony Boots Martinez- Port Loyola Rep.
"Well my commitment remains the same sir, that's all I'm saying. For me as a representative my no remains the same."

Jules Vasquez
"So, no one in the cabinet prevailed upon you?"

Hon. Anthony Boots Martinez
"I don't know about nobody, the Prime Minister will have his press conference tomorrow."

Reporter
"Can you give us an idea of the atmosphere of the meeting this morning?"

Hon. Anthony Boots Martinez
"It was very good. It was good and sensible. The atmosphere was good man. Feel good in a relaxing country mood right now."

And while Martinez strode off listening to country music - the spotlight shifts to the Prime Minister who holds his press conference at 10:00 tomorrow morning.

As an aside, we must note that we are very aware of the separation between the Legislature and the Executive - meaning that a Cabinet meeting is not a parliamentary caucus - but there's just no getting around the fact that the members of the House also make up most of the membership of Cabinet. Right now, the effect of the court's order is that the Executive, through the Minister of Finance must take the 90.6 million dollar appropriations motion to the Legislature for approval - so the line is very blurred between executive and legislature.

Belize Bank Says Central Bank Would Frown On Non Payment

And, defending its own position, today, the Belize Bank issued a three page press release, tracing the entire history of the debacle, right back to the start of the Universal Health Services project back in 2001.

The bank says, quote, "the current administration has adopted a belligerent approach to the Bank's debt from the beginning."

It concludes, quote, "the Bank Looks forward to the government now settling this debt after years of unnecessary litigation to recover the funds, which at the end of the day were lent from funds deposited with the Belizean Bank by Belizean depositors. The Central Bank of Belize would take a very stern view indeed of any licensed bank not seeking to recover such a debt." End quote.

The Bank's 1,500 word release release does not discuss how the Hospital has ended up in the hands of another private owner without any relief to the guarantor.

Former AG Says He Wouldn't Recommend CCJ to Other Nations

And there's one more dimension to this ongoing ordeal. Yes, the UDP members are going to reject the payment, but there's also major shade being thrown at the highest court in the land, the Caribbean Court of Justice. Last week it was Party Whip Michael Finnegan and today it was former Attorney General Wilfred Elrington. Now, Elrington just lost a case involving a personal business dealing at the court earlier this month - and he said he got a raw deal from a court whose competence he clearly was not impressed with:...

Hon. Wilfred Elrington - Minister of Foreign Affairs
"It is ironic that it is under our administration that we signed on to the CCJ."

Jules Vasquez
"You voted for it, you were UDP."

Hon. Wilfred Elrington
"I voted for it, I advocated for it but I had personal experience with them and I can tell you that the decision that they gave against me was wrong both in law and in fact. And I am not afraid to say that. I am bound to honor it but it is completely and totally wrong. I thought they were very hostile to me and I said that from the time I came out. I had never seen a more hostile court than this one. And they simply continued to repeat the arguments that Courtney was making to them. So, that has turned me off tremendously from any support I had for the CCJ. I am really very disappointed."

Jules Vasquez
"So, if you had to make the decision again today to advocate and vote in the parliament to go to the CCJ what would be your vote today?"

Hon. Wilfred Elrington
"I would not encourage anybody to do so. You have five judges sitting at the CCJ but only one writes a decision. And they hardly have any work to do as far as I am concerned. To my mind, the least that they could do is have each one of them write a decision."

The CCJ is the court of final appeal for Barbados, Belize, Dominica and Guyana. The court has failed to win over the confidence of other CARICOM member states who still keep their ties to the Privy Council.

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