How Much has G.O.B. had to Pay in Legal Fees?

Dean Barrow

Government gets to pay some one hundred and sixty two million dollars but how much has it spent on legal fees? There has always been speculation on that figure and at this afternoon’s press conference at the Biltmore Plaza, where cabinet also met prior to the announcement, the PM turned to the Financial Secretary, for a response.

Prime Minister Dean Barrow

“That was one of the bones of contention.  We settle with no orders as to cost.  Each side bears its own costs. This was such a hugely complex and fundamentally important issue that it required the government to retain the best possible legal representation that it could get and to retain law firms that could concentrate on these issues without the distraction of the tremendous amount of work that the SolGen’s department has to cope with. So you don’t go up against people like Goldsmith and Edward Fitzgerald…you don’t just rely on your public officers, however dedicated they are, you do get the best from the private bar and that’s certainly one decision that we will never regret.”

Joseph Waight

Rowland Parks

“How much have we paid in legal fees?  I keep hearing estimates and so on but we need perhaps to get a precise number from you.”

Joseph Waight, Financial Secretary

“There are so many litigations involved, but going back over this six years, I would say we’ve paid close to three to four million dollars in all.  But there are so many litigations.  Remember too we have to engage foreign firms which are not cheap.  But it’s not over four million dollars.”

The firm of Barrow and Williams represented government in the settlement of the B.T.L. nationalization.