C.J. orders govt. to pay insurers for 2005 riot damage

In news from the Supreme Court, the Chief Justice has ruled against the Government of Belize in a case stemming from the damage to property caused by unruly residents of Belize City over two years ago. This morning Chief Justice Abdulai Conteh ordered that the Government reimburse four local insurance companies six hundred and ninety thousand dollars because the civil disturbance of April twentieth 2005 was in fact a riot. Through its attorney, Derek Courtenay, the government had contended that the damage caused to businesses in the downtown area was the result of multiple episodes of burglary. The insurers challenged that interpretation and using news footage of the night in question, successfully argued that under the Riots Compensation Act, the monies they paid out to clients should be refunded by the government. The claimants’ case was presented by Andrew Marshalleck of Barrow and Company. The C.J.’s written decision is expected shortly.