Discussions Between BGYEA and G.O.B. Will Be Private…

Audrey Matura-Shepherd

While BGYEA and government have been given a forty-five day window during which the matter should be discussed and resolved, the proceedings will be kept off the record.  According to Matura-Shepherd, the idea of settling issues behind closed doors helps to ease an otherwise overloaded court system.

Audrey Matura-Shepherd, Attorney for BGYEA

“Whatever is decided in mediation cannot be said publicly.  It’s confidential and so one of the things that we are doing in good faith is discussing less the details of the case but we don’t mind giving you all an update as to what the orders are because we have to act in good faith.  You wouldn’t want us to say well, Marisol let us, you and I, sit down and discuss something but before you and I get the opportunity to discuss we are giving details as to what we will discuss.  So it’s a new process but I think it’s one that serves well in the court system which is really, right now the court system is bogged down like you cannot imagine the amount of cases.  We’ll be able to disclose what’s the end result but we’ll not be able to discuss anything that happens.  Once there’s an agreement we go back to the court and the court makes it an order of the court.  It’s legally binding and enforceable.”

Reporter

“Now Audrey, just finally, this is in relation to the buffer zone and its use?”

Audrey Matura-Shepherd

“Well the claim speaks about buffer zone so one of the issues we have to settle is what’s the buffer zone, in the sense that there are policies that the government has and there are measurements in that area and there are areas that are not necessarily buffer zones but are communal areas.  So that will be on the table in mediation.”

The Ministry of Natural Resources is being represented by Acting Solicitor General Nigel Hawke.