GOB: Miami Judge says we’re not in contempt

It may be the eve of a welcome four-day holiday weekend but that has not stopped the wheels of justice–at least those located in Miami–from rolling forward. And word from that venue, according to the Government of Belize, is that the U.S. district court has ruled that the G.O.B. is not in contempt of court and was in fact free to sell its shares in Belize Telecommunications Limited to Michael Ashcroft’s Ecom. According to Solicitor General Elson Kaseke, Judge Ursula Ungaro-Benages reversed her earlier opinion as to what BTL’s articles of association required in order for directors to be removed, but Kaseke said that the judge will decide on March thirty-first whether Jeffrey Prosser will be allowed to retain only two directors, as the government asserts, or have the right to retain four, which would leave the board deadlocked at four-four. According to Kaseke, it is only logical, given what the judge has already said, that control of the company must rest with the majority alliance of the Belize government and Michael Ashcroft. News 5 was unable to get a copy of the judge’s opinion to verify the above account, but if true, it would be a major vindication for the government, which has consistently maintained that it acted on sound legal principals.