On Monday we told you about the wrangle between the government of Belize and the Ashcroft Affiliated Employees Trust. And we also mentioned a letter - posted on the Trust's website - from its attorney Godfrey Smith to an executive of Digicel, a company that is being invited to invest in Telemedia. The letter cautions him about the investment climate in Belize and pending claims against Telemedia. In short, it tells him, "Let the buyer beware."
Well, government today broadly condemned Smith for, quote,
"Deliberately intending to smear our country's reputation abroad and discourage foreign investment in Belize."
Smith's letter refers to, quote "an alarming disregard for sanctity of contracts involving foreign investors," and he refers to various examples of this - many of them which happened during the Musa administration when he was a senior minister.
At the end of the two page letter, Smith advises the Digicel executive that: "If indeed you are contemplating…acquiring an interest in BTL, we would be happy to share substantial and detailed information with you on Belize's very disturbing attitude and track record as it relates to foreign investment and international business contracts."
And while Smith writes on behalf of his client, the Government release heatedly concludes that "for a former parliamentarian and practicing attorney, born, bred and fed in Belize, to so deliberately and calculatingly undertake to undermine the economic interest of his country and people, is outrageously unpatriotic, if not treasonous."
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