Courtenay Coye L.L.P., Attorneys for B.I.S.L.

Prime Minister John Briceño also sought to explain why Courtenay Coye L.L.P. will be paid handsomely as a result of the B.I.S.L. settlement. As attorney for the claimant, Courtenay Coye L.L.P. will receive close to nine hundred thousand U.S. dollars in litigation cost. Tracy Panton raised the matter during the debate. PM Briceño, on the other hand, insists that Courtenay Coye had nothing to do with the settlement.

Tracy Panton

Tracy Panton, Area Representative, Albert Division

“Do you know Mr. Speaker who is the attorneys for the claimant, Courtenay and Coye. The last time I checked, Mr. Speaker, two of the principals for Courtenay and Coye are government ministers, one who sits in the Office of the Prime Minister Mr. Speaker, who helped to negotiate this settlement agreement. Now, if that is not a conflict of interest Mr. Speaker, I don’t know what is.”

Prime Minister John Briceño

Prime Minister John Briceño

“Mr. Speaker on a point of order, I think it is regrettable that the member from Albert is talking. She is imputing, the point of order is that you are speaking without knowing what you are talking about.”

Paul Lopez

“Documentation shows that Courtenay Coye law firm will be collecting close to nine hundred thousand dollars as a result of this settlement. The optics of it looks bad.”

Prime Minister John Briceño

“I don’t know how you could say anything about any optics, because we have nothing to do with it. Whatever Belize Bank and Morgan and Morgan wants to pay Courtenay and Coye, and anybody, that is their business. That is being paid out of the thirty eight point two five million dollars U.S. What I can tell you is that Courtenay and Coye did not participate in the settlement. They participated in going to the court up to 2020. But, since we came into office they had no participation in this. And, Minister Courtenay walked out at midday before this issue came to Cabinet and Minister Courtenay was out of the country with his family.”