G.O.B. to Appeal U.H.S. Case

The Belize Bank has been trying to collect a ninety-plus million dollar UHS debt from the government – and the two trial dates set for December and January were both adjourned. As we reported at the end of January, the Supreme Court heard arguments on matters related to the U.H.S. debt legal battle. The Belize Bank Limited filed a claim against the Commissioner of Income and Business Tax as the first defendant and the Attorney General of Belize as the second defendant. The Bank was telling the Commissioner to deduct its eight point five million dollar business tax arrears from the ninety-two million dollars that G.O.B. owes them. Financial Secretary Joseph Waight commented on the case, telling reporters that G.O.B., through the Attorney General’s office, is appealing the court’s decision.

Joseph Waight

Joseph Waight, Financial Secretary

“The claim was that – in their view- lawful for the bank to offset taxes owed to the Government of Belize versus what the Government of Belize owes them for the arbitration and which was upheld by the I.C.J.  The matter was heard in court and the court ruled – the Justice ruled that the proposed offset is legal and should be done. The government believes that we respect the opinion – the judgment of the court but we believe we have good grounds to appeal and therefore I understand it is going to be appealed if an appeal has not yet already been filed.”