Michael Ashcroft Says New Laws Unnecessary and a Distraction

Michael Ashcroft

As pointed out by the principals of Caribbean Investment Holdings Limited, the language in the Crown Proceedings (Amendment) Act is similar to those passed in the Supreme Court of Judicature Act a few years ago that were subsequently struck down by the Caribbean Court of Justice. It is Lord Michael Ashcroft’s view that the similar tactics here are Government’s way of stalling the inevitable, but he told us that no matter what they throw at him, it’s not going to work.

Lord Michael Ashcroft

“They passed a very similar act which made criminal penalties, and it took nearly two years to get that to the Caribbean Court of Justice and get it overturned, which then brought the Government of Belize back to the negotiating table on the Telemedia matter. I believe in this particular one, they’ve used very similar words to which the Caribbean Court of Justice has already overturned as unconstitutional. My belief is that the Government is aware that they have passed something which is unconstitutional, but with the hope and expectation that this manages to defer the day when the awards can be enforced with the threat of criminal sanctions and that is the process which it is now going through. It’s not just ourselves, it’s the firm of Courtenay, Coye, and Co., are a part of a separate action here because they are within that law, where there are acts which you have done before the enactment that were not criminal at the time, which were brought into it. So the uncertainty to the citizen…”

Marleni Cuellar

“The retroactivity…”

Lord Michael Ashcroft

“The retroactive is unconstitutional; the penalties are out of proportion. It’s ad hominem, it’s clearly aimed at me – you just have to have a look at the transcripts of the House to be able to see that – so we have been through this path before, and I think the Government is just wanting to play for further time, and that’s really unnecessary.”