Supreme Court reinstates Perriott, fines B.T.L.

She has become the public rallying point for what is widely perceived as a telecommunications company gone seriously astray. And today Christine Perriott was back in court to hear what amounted to a major vindication of her stand against the management of B.T.L. News Five’s Janelle Chanona reports.

Christine Perriott
“It’s exciting, it’s wonderful, it’s good to know that God awesome. I must say thank you Lord and also that injustices, there’s no room for injustices.”

Janelle Chanona, Reporting
This morning Christine Perriott celebrated a legal victory in the Supreme Court after Justice John Muria ruled that the internet technician be allowed back at work. But the question tonight is: who is Perriott’s employer?

On April fifth, Muria ordered that Perriott be reinstated as an employee of Belize Telecommunications Limited. But one hour after the ruling, B.T.L. sent out a bulletin, declaring that while Perriott was once again an employee, she had been placed on “special paid leave” and would be barred from all company property.

Perriott went back to court and asked that B.T.L. Board Chair Dean Boyce be jailed for contempt of court. Today Muria acted, ordering him to reinstate Perriott at eight Thursday morning. In lieu of prison, Boyce is to pay Perriott five thousand dollars and her attorney’s fees.

But the devil is the details because thanks to the recently enacted Vesting Bill, Belize Telecommunications Limited is now just a shell of its former self with all assets and liabilities transferred to Belize Telemedia Limited. The lawyers now have to argue whether Perriott’s employment contract also transferred to Telemedia.

Andrew Marshalleck, Attorney for B.T.L.
“I need to look at it. Well I act for B.T.L.; I have no instructions to Telemedia.”

Andrew Marshalleck admits that the B.T.L. Vesting Bill may complicate matters.

Jules Vasquez, 7 News
“Will Christine be at work tomorrow?”

Andrew Marshalleck
“That’s what the judge ordered.”

Janelle Chanona
“But which work: BTL or Belize Telemedia?”

Andrew Marshalleck
“I wish I had the answers.”

Christine Perriott hopes she’ll find her answers on Regent Street tomorrow morning.

Christine Perriott
“I wanted B.T.L. to know that you just can’t breach no law and you can’t do what you want, and this goes for all employers. You can’t do what you want when the law has put something down in place. If they were to go to jail, then go to jail. If you were to pay, then you pay. The point was that you can’t things into your own hands when the law has rules. You are not the law.”

Janelle Chanona
“The court ordered that you go to work tomorrow?”

Christine Perriott
“Tomorrow at eight o’clock I’m going to be at work tomorrow again, at eight o’clock.”

Janelle Chanona
“But do you show up at Belize Telemedia?”

Christine Perriott
“Yes.”

And what of Marshalleck’s insistence that he works for Belize Telecommunications?

Christine Perriott
“He brought that up in closed doors, but the judge advised him, and I have it here, they are advised to follow the order, because he is claiming that he has not read the act, but I have and my lawyer has and I’m sure some of the judges have and this is something that the court ordered in April, this Vesting Act came out two weeks ago. I am still an employee of B.T.L.”

Janelle Chanona
“Knowing what waits you at B.T.L., they have said deteriorating relationships, what are you expecting, if you are allowed on the compound?”

Christine Perriott
“I really don’t know. I’m just going back as per normal. I’m going there and see. I don’t know.”

Janelle Chanona
“Reality being what it is Christine, are you going to be asking for more money knowing that this is going to be a long haul?”

Christine Perriott
“Five thousand dollars is like pennies in the pocket for them; that’s nothing that’s chump change for them. For me and other workers, that’s a lot. For them that’s nothing.”

Janelle Chanona
“So you will be asking for more money?”

Christine Perriott
“I will, yes. If they are prepared to spend ten million for me not to get my one million, five thousand dollars is nothing to them.”

Following an in chambers discussion this morning, Justice Muria ordered that the five thousand dollar fine be suspended until next Wednesday when both lawyers will submit their arguments regarding a financial sanction. Reporting for News Five, I am Janelle Chanona.

A late press release from B.T.L. indicates that the company, despite its new corporate persona, will comply with the court order for Perriott’s interim reinstatement. It went on to reiterate, however, that it believes Perriott was lawfully terminated and that position will eventually be upheld by the Supreme Court and, if necessary, higher courts of appeal. The company says that the issue is an important one for all employers, asserting that it cannot be in the interest of any business to be forced to employ a worker who continually seeks to undermine that company’s operations. On a more personal note, the release explained that with the forced rehiring of Perriott her successfully performing replacement has been placed on special paid leave pending the resolution of the legal dispute.