Arguments end in B.T.L. case; judge to rule soon
Word from Miami tonight is that the long running legal nightmare called I.C.C. versus Government of Belize is about to end. Both sides in the battle for ownership of B.T.L. summed up their cases before Federal Judge Ursula Ungaro-Benages today and this evening Belize’s Attorney in Miami, Barry Davidson, told us that Judge Ungaro has assured both sides that she plans to rule quickly. According to Davidson, G.O.B.’s star witness in the case was none other than Belize’s Minister of Investment and Home Affairs, Ralph Fonseca.
Barry Davidson, Belize?s Attorney in Miami
?The judge has asked for proposed written findings to be submitted by July first, which is a week from tomorrow. She?s indicated that she will rule very promptly. My expectation is she will rule some time within the first two weeks in July. Generally speaking, we felt think things went very well and she has being very even tempered in regard to the position of the government as presented in court.?
?She?s mindful that this case has attracted a lot of attention and that she needs to resolve the issues and let the telephone company get on with it.?
?I?ll tell you something, the video deposition of Mr. Ralph Fonseca was played and we think that made an extremely positive impression on her because he was allowed to tell the story from the government?s point of view from beginning to end, almost without interruption.?
Janelle Chanona
?So you think that went over well with Judge Ungaro??
Barry Davidson, Belize?s Attorney in Miami
?I am very confident that it went over extremely well. We thought things went very well across the board. We did not, in terms of what we presented, we didn?t have any faults, or any surprises or any last minute hiccups if you will.?
Fonseca’s deposition, which ran from nine a.m. to four twenty-five p.m. and consumed five video tapes, was taken on June second in Cancun by I.C.C. attorney Lanny Davis. I.C.C. is seeking a court order to restore its six directors to the B.T.L. board, return John Vondras to the post of managing director, register its twenty-four million newly created “C” shares, deliver a fifteen million U.S. dollar debt instrument from the INTELCO acquisition, and have G.O.B. pay monetary damages of over twenty-four million U.S. dollars.
