7 News Belize

Audrey Scolds Media
posted (September 15, 2015)
11 days ago, we told you about that article from the Guardian Newspaper which reported that Northern Cane Farmer Lucilo Teck may be on the hook for bill of $60,000 in legal fees. That's because he sued the Sugar Industries Control Board and lost on a case of huge public importance which was resolved before the court could make a ruling.

That could spell a deathblow for Teck's assets and properties, and so, while we had the opportunity, we asked his attorney, Audrey Matura-Shepherd, to confirm the report. She told us that the court hadn't ruled on issue as yet. But then, she decided to scold us for taking an interest in this case and not digging into how much legal fees the Government is paying for the BTL and BEL settlements. Here's that back-and-forth:

Audrey Matura-Shepherd - Attorney for Lucilo Teck
"There is a hearing that we attended, but there is not a decision as far as I know. But I see that that suddenly comes up as an issue, while the court is in recess since the start of August to the 15th September. So how they have that, I don't know. But I can only think they are saying that to sidetrack from the fact that our prime minister, because this is the issue. If we want to talk about who cost who legal fees, our prime minister is paying legal fees for BEL acquisition to his own brother. Nobody talk about that. Right now, he signed off on a deal. He cost the country 6 years of interest. How nobody go and calculate that? What would they beat up on Mr. Lucilo Teck and me, because I had the presence of mind to go and represent Mr. Teck. So how come you Channel 7 asking me that and I ask you all, when will you all go find out from Rodwell Williams Law Firm how much the government is paying them to represent BGYEA? How nobody follow up those stories? Go and ask the government how come we have 10 crown counsels in the AG Ministry, but yet they pay private attorneys and its always connected to the Barrow family to go represent this country when the country's attorney is the Attorney General in the person of Sedi Elrington whose functionary is the Solicitor General, that nice lady from Jamaica who then has 10 crown counsels below their belt to do the work."

Daniel Ortiz
"Miss Audrey, what is the position at this time with legal fees with Mr. Teck?"

Audrey Matura-Shepherd - Attorney for Lucilo Teck
"There is no decision."

Daniel Ortiz
"I am sure that the other side has already submitted their proposal or submitted the figures they believe is supposed to be paid."

Audrey Matura-Shepherd - Attorney for Lucilo Teck
"Let me tell you, before the case wasn't even finish, they sent a bill for over almost $80,000. Rodwell Williams's bill said that just to talk to him, as a retainer was $20,000. So you imagine that in a matter like that he is asking $20,000 - just retainer you know and did not subtract anything from that. Man, the question is if that is what they do in those small cases, please go ask them what they are getting in these big cases. I am not telling you any lies. There has not been a decision of the court and if any news media have a decision, I want to know how the registrar would have sent it to them before me."

When the court rules on the legal fees, we'll tell you what the figure is that Lucilo Teck has to pay. As we told you already though, the way this type of issue is resolved is that legal fees and costs are awarded to the winner of the case. So in this case, Lucilo Teck will have to pay most - if not- all of the SICB's legal cost. Both sides have submitted what that cost should be, and after consideration, the judge will decide, based on the recommendations, what that final cost should be. If one submission seems reasonable and fair, then the court adopts it as the final decision.

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