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Aug 24, 2022

Government Seeks Approval for $38.25Million U.S Dollars Payment to B.I.S.L.

The Government of Belize has agreed to settle with the Belize International Services Limited for damages caused by the acquisition of the company in 2013. At the time of the acquisition, B.I.S.L. was managing the Belize International Ships and Companies Registry.  In 2003, the Government of Belize extended its profit sharing contract with B.I.S.L. for a period of ten years, to 2013. In 2005, the Government of Belize and B.I.S.L. extended its contract, for a final time, from 2013 to 2020. However, in 2013, the Barrow administration moved to acquire B.I.S.L. In 2020, the C.C.J. made a ruling against the Government of Belize, in favor of the company. Today inside the House of Representatives, Prime Minister John Briceño introduced a supplementary appropriation bill seeking approval for thirty-eight million U.S dollars to be paid to B.I.S.L. as a settlement for damages.

 

Prime Minister John Briceño

Prime Minister John Briceño

“At the time of the takeover, in similar fashion to so many other U.D.P. policy decisions, then Prime Minister Barrow assured the country that the cancelations of B.I.S.L.’s agreement was based on flawless legal advice, flawless legal advice. His words, not mine, words he had used over and over that end up costing this country millions of dollars. He boasted, and assured us, assured everyone of us that government would not be exposed to damages. When he mentioned it here in the national Assembly his ministers were banging the table, agreeing that it was not going to cost us. We are taking it back. Sure enough BISL sued for damages. They lost at the Supreme Court, and then they lost at the Court of Appeal, again no surprise. Because, for some reason Mr. Barrow use to win all of his cases in the Supreme Court and win all of his cases in the court of Appeal. But guess what; whenever he goes to the CCJ he loses all of his cases. And, guess what happened, guess what happened Leader of the Opposition. In July of 2020, months before the U.D.P. was kicked out of office, the CCJ made a striking decision in favor of BISL and against the U.D.P. government, flawless legal advice.”

 


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