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PM Will Go Back To House To Re-Re Nationalize BTL
posted (June 28, 2011)
"Government will return to Parliament in the shortest possible time." That's what the Prime Minister told us this evening after Cabinet and the Parliamentary Caucus met in Belmopan.

The Prime Minister told us that both bodies were, quote "muscular in their resolve…that government must retain control of Telemedia and all legal tactics must be employed," end quote.

So then, it is decided, Cabinet will go back to the House - most likely early next week - to re-take BTL after the Appeal Court judgment last week ruled the first taking unconstitutional. v But it's not quite that simple. The first effort was reversed in court because of a number of defects in the orders, finding primarily that the nationalization did not fit the definition of "a public purpose." So, on this second time around, government has to be exceedingly careful in drafting the law - and it also has to somehow get past the fact that it has already stated why it took Telemedia in the first place - and, again, those reasons do not fall within what the court found was a public purpose.

So, will the second taking be for another, new reason? And how will that fit within the strict definition of a public purpose? We'll see, and know by early next week….

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