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Petition Against UDP’s Mark King Will Also Be Heard
posted (April 4, 2012)
And while Fonseca's disqualification is now a possibility, the UDP's Mark King, is also under scrutiny.

Last night, we told you about the arguments which were heard before Chief Justice Benjamin as to why Martin Galvez should be granted his election petition against King. That hearing went all the way up to news time.

This afternoon, Chief Justice Benjamin handed down his decision to grant Galvez that election petition.

As we reported last night, Galvez, who was represented by attorney Lisa Shoman, say that Brints Security, of which King is allegedly the General Manager, is in a 135 hundred thousand dollar contract with the Ministry of Finance. Galvez says that this contract started on July 2011, and it will end on July 2013.

In this contract, the security firm been contracted to protect the Charles Bartlett Hyde Building on Mahogany Street Extention, and the San Ignacio Sales Tax Office.

Chief Justice Benjamin said that the points that both sides raised in their preliminary arguments need to be properly heard in the full petition proceedings, and with that he informed the court that he has granted the leave.

Outside, we spoke to Anthony Sylvester, one of the PUP lawyers, who told us that this a landmark case - and one which, to some extent, vindicates their position.

Here's more of what he told us:

Anthony Sylvestre
"This is vindication in some respects in that clearly the case does have merit and the issue, with respect to whether in fact the contract [was] signed by Mark King and entered into the government of Belize; whether that, in fact, is a contract which is on account and for the public service."

"That is the issue which will be determined in the trial."

Marion Ali, reporter
"How solid you think the case is to warrant a bi-election at the next level."

Anthony Sylvestre
"I can't go into that. You are asking me to basically judge the matter. In all fairness I can't do that. What will be required of us is that both sides will have to prepare very thoroughly, very meticulously, arguments and to do very detailed research in the matter. That was the point that the Chief Justice made that the matter should be more extensively argued and that would take place in a full trial."

Reporter
"Do you see yourself being a candidate if there is a bi-election?"

Yolanda Schakron
"I am not sure about that yet. Right now this was my brother and it's still his show and we will see as the times comes. We will see what happens."

And with this result the PUP is now 2 for 3, and the UDP is 1 for 1 - with the PUP having at least one more to go before the deadline of April 10th- which is next Tuesday.

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