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And while Cabinet goes on the strict legalities – as the attorney General says, the churches can freely pursue an appeal.  They were only interested parties in the case, and have been advised that they cannot appeal – that’s the sole prerogative of the respondent, which is the government of Belize.  Today the Prime Minister and the Attorney General insisted that the churches can in fact proceed with their own appeal:…

Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister
"No sir you are perfectly free to apply to court to be given leave to appeal. As I understand it you need not even been an interested party to be able to get leave to appeal as long as you can show that the decision of the court affects you; you are entitled for a leave to appeal. In this case because you were interested parties it strikes me that you are almost immediately and automatically there."

Luis Wade - Plus TV
"Would any of you sight a legal precedence that we could follow on to ensure that this kind of appeal is permitted?"

Hon. Vanessa Retreage - Attorney General
"In response to your question I will say 2 things. First I am fully employed by the government of Belize and so I cannot give you legal advice. Secondly I will say that you must check the Supreme Court rules as it relates to the role of interested parties. You must examine critically the role that you played; the churches played in this litigation and take the guidance from there."

Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister
"I would add to that by siting what is a very painful precedence. When a previous government conspired to have a sitting chief justice removed the action that produced that result was brought by a private citizen against the attorney general. The chief justice was not a party to the action but because it affected him and affected him fundamentally he did appeal."