Ashcroft Praises Eamon Courtenay; Says He May Release Him from Legal Work

Eamon Courtenay

Senior Counsel and Senator Eamon Courtenay has come under fire from the United Democratic Party and the Government for acting on behalf of the former BCB Holdings in a Constitutional claim to the Central Bank (International Immunities) Act, despite having supported its passage in the Senate.  Courtenay did express his reservations on aspects of the Bill and subsequent research has shown that it is not as urgent and necessary as the Government had posited. Concurrently, Courtenay has taken on a leading role in the Senate’s Special Select Committee inquiries on the Immigration Audit Report.  Lord Michael Ashcroft indicated in our interview that he considers the inquiry of utmost importance to the country.

Michael Ashcroft

Lord Michael Ashcroft

“In any democracy, everyone has the right to legal representation in a democracy – whether it’s a civil case; whether it’s a criminal case; whether it’s a murderer – has a right to legal representation. And once you start accusing people that they shouldn’t represent certain people, you’re starting to tread on some dangerous ground. Now where Senator Courtenay is concerned: yes, he is a Senator, but the job he’s doing in the Senate at the moment is quite remarkable. He is exposing enormous corruption within the Immigration Department – the issue of passports, false registration for the elections, visa problems, and so on and so forth, and is doing an excellent job. And it’s not difficult to understand why those who don’t wish him to pursue that would prefer him not to be in the Senate, and would throw up many reasons he shouldn’t be. And I have told Senator Courtenay that it is more important for him, as a citizen of Belize, to continue that role in the Senate, in exposing what he is doing at the moment, than acting for the Constitutional claim.”