Despite intimidating letter, A.C.B. files lawsuit
Whether the letter from Belize Bank chairman Phillip Johnson to the Association of Concerned Belizeans was a crude, blatant, and arrogant act of intimidation, or–as Johnson claims–simply a matter of putting things on the record, the move has failed to deter the citizens group. Five minutes before the Registry closed on Wednesday, the A.C.B. officially filed a lawsuit that seeks to prevent the Government of Belize from paying the thirty-three million dollar Universal Health Services debt at the Belize Bank. The A.C.B. has been joined in the motion by the National Trade Union Congress, Senator Godwin Hulse, and the Belize Medical and Dental Officers Union. In the first instance, the plaintiffs want the court to grant an injunction against any payment toward the debt, a move that would counter intentions by the bank and Belmopan to proceed with a settlement. This afternoon, A.C.B. trustee Stephen Duncan outlined the points of law that are the grounds for the suit.
Stephen Duncan, A.C.B. Trustee
“We are claiming three things in particular. One, is that the document is unlawful because it needs to go to Cabinet and needs to be approved by Cabinet before it was signed, not after. Secondly, we feel it is unlawful because it did not go to the National Assembly. And thirdly, we feel that the, any actual expenditure also needs to go the National Assembly.”
“People are saying out there we should not have to pay this why do we have to pay it? And clearly, that is the end we would like to accomplish. Now you don’t always get what you want, but you have to aim for it and you have to work towards it and that is precisely what we are doing. We don’t know how the courts will rule, but we have to give it a try. If your question is presuming that the courts rule that it has to be paid or that the document is lawful, then we can’t fight the courts. We see the courts as a way to settle disputes et cetera and we will have to accept the ruling of the court.”
“What we doing at this moment Janelle is focussing on the actions of our Government. The Belize Bank will be affected if our action is successful, but that is not the primary objective that is as a consequence of, and we do appreciate it and understand that, but our primary objective is to challenge the transparency and actions of our government, which we have a right to do.”
“I would want to ask the public to continue to apply pressure, to keep up the pressure. We feel that the reason this letter was written is because that pressure is working. The media has been doing its part—the letter has attacked everybody—and the media has been doing its part and we need to ask the media to continue along those lines. The people, the general mass out there who have been helping and calling in and doing the various things they are doing, let us continue the action. We feel that it is working for what it is worth and this is not the time to stop, this is not the time to let up, it’s actually the time to intensify our efforts and to bond together even stronger.”
The letter in question is that written by Belize Bank chairman Phillip Johnson threatening serious consequences for the plaintiffs, both collectively and individually, if the bank is harmed by their actions. Today both the United Democratic Party and the Vision Inspired by the People issued separate press releases condemning Johnson’s actions, which they both referred to as an “intimidation” tactic.
