Audrey Matura Presses Court of Appeal for Written Decision

Attorney Audrey Matura finds herself at the end of a very stern letter from the Court of Appeal. Matura is the attorney for Gas Tomza Limited, Southern Choice Butane, Zeta Gas and Belize Western Energy Limited, the companies which are in a legal war with the Government of Belize over the monopoly National Gas Company. Both the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal have ruled against Matura’s client and on April thirtieth, she wrote them a letter asking for the written ruling. She followed up with another letter but the response was a reprimand from the court. Matura says that while people might interpret it as the Court of Appeal scolding her, it is standard for attorneys to request for a written ruling.

Audrey Matura

Audrey Matura, Attorney At Law

“It is standard for attorneys to want to get a written decision from any court, from the Supreme Court, from the Court of Appeal, from the Caribbean Court of Justice. On the thirtieth, I wrote a letter to the President of the Court of Appeal just asking for a decision, asking if I could have gotten it by the fourth of May. One of the reasons being I cannot give my clients advice without knowing the written decision. So when I didn’t get that letter then I got back a rather terse response which that letter was not leaked and I don’t intend to leak it myself. To me it is standard as attorneys that the court will act so because they are the ones who have the final say. We are always at the mercy of the court. Then I wrote a letter on the fourth indicating why I really need the decision but apart from wanting the decision for my client, I am also engaging the services of a constitutional lawyer based in Trinidad, a reputable attorney at that too, and he asked the basic thing: has the court given a decision, can you write and ask for a decision? We attorneys have to advice clients based on a decision. I said no and then I got that response. At the end of the day it does not matter if people see it as a scolding or not. If you would go to court you would be surprise how the judges carry on when they deal with you and as an attorney all you do is say much oblige my lord, you humble yourself and you represent your client. In this case it is no big deal for me. At the end of the day all I want is a written decision. I need a copy of the written decision and I hoping that very soon we will get one. In terms of whatever comments are made and so it is neither here or there because Hipolito it does not change the fact that whoever for their own agenda released it and want to make it a personal attack against me, they can attack me personally all they want but they can never attack the information that I talk ,the issues of our case and the fact that this LPG monopoly that is being created is a matter that is being challenged in the court and there is reason for my challenge.”