Ben Juratowitch Represents G.O.B. in Waterloo Matter

Ben Juratowitch

King’s Counsel Ben Juratowitch is the lead attorney in Belize’s case against Guatemala that is presently before the International Court of Justice.  The esteemed legal mind was also tasked with reviewing the Definitive Agreement between the Government of Belize and Portico Enterprises Limited.  In that instance, Prime Minister John Briceño famously stated that the preeminent attorney did not understand the assignment given to him when Juratowitch advised G.O.B. that the Definitive Agreement was unconstitutional.  So, why is the Briceño administration once again leaning on the services of Juratowitch in a matter involving NEAC and the Department of the Environment that is described as relatively mundane?  Is it a case where government is bringing more to this matter than what may be necessary?  Here’s what attorney Godfrey Smith thinks.

Godfrey Smith

Godfrey Smith, Attorney-at-law

“I certainly do, and let me say that if you consider the fact that Stake Bank challenged a NEAC/DOE decision that was given in favor of Portico, to say that it was all wrong, several other grounds were advanced, no great, international counsel was brought in.  In this case, Waterloo is not even in the Supreme Court, it’s before a tribunal and if you keep in mind that the government has consistently been saying, “We’ll let the market decide, we have no preferences.”  Then why do you have a vested interest in the outcome of this tribunal by seeking for a King’s Counsel of Mr. Juratowitch’s stature, his junior counsel, and two other local counsels to represent in what you rightly say is a fairly mundane matter.  I think what that tells you is the extent to which government has a vested interest in ensuring that Waterloo does not get across the mark.”

Michael Peyrefitte, Chairman, United Democratic Party

“It tells me that that particular attorney, Ben Juratowitch, always understands his assignment. And, when the Prime Minister said that Juratowitch didn’t understand what was asked of him, the Prime Minister was talking nonsense, foolishness and he knew he was. What is still shocking, what is still unfortunate is that when the prime minister got an opinion that he didn’t want the public to know decided to attack this eminent jurist and by hiring subsequent to that shows that he has every confidence in him.”