Marshalleck Says the Government Who Pays is Neither P.U.P. nor U.D.P.
Kareem Musa
In an interesting twist, Espat is now part of the Government that lost the lawsuit. But Marshalleck says that the government is the government, no matter which party is in power. And while Espat’s colleague, Minister of Home Affairs, Kareem Musa agrees, Musa said he regrets the award will have to be paid while the P.U.P. is in power.
Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs
“I guess it’s regrettable that we’re going to be the ones that have to pay but the law is the law at the end of the day. I supported the Honourable Julius then as I do today in saying that he was unjustifiably kicked out of parliament that day when he was representing the good people of Cayo South and so it doesn’t matter if it’s a U.D.P. government or a P.U.P. government, we still have to pay it out. Similarly, with any award, we still have to deal with B.T.L. and paying back B.T.L. and all of that, so it continues.”
Reporter
“With the people’s money?”
Kareem Musa
“It’s the Government. Michael Peyrefitte represented the government, so we have to pay on Michael Peyrefitte’s behalf.”
Andrew Marshalleck
Andrew Marshalleck, Attorney for Julius Espat
“The Government is our government. It’s all of our government. It’s the government of even people who didn’t vote in favour of it. There is not a P.U.P. government or a U.D.P. government. There’s a government of the state of Belize, and that government is elected every five years but from a perspective of liability, the entity that committed the wrong and the entity that must now pay is and has always been the same. It’s the state of Belize, as represented by the Government of Belize. So, the case was instituted against the Attorney General as representatives of the state of Belize and the award has been made against the Speaker and the Attorney General as representatives of the state of Belize.”
Marion Ali
“But all of those persons have changed since.”
Andrew Marshalleck
“Yes, yes, but the state hasn’t changed. When they acted, they acted in their official capacities as officers of the state.”
