On Monday, we told you about that stern resolution that the Bar Association passed at their meeting a week ago. It's a unanimous decision to call for Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin to resign if he cannot deliver judgments on a schedule he put out last week.
He had 28 judgments outstanding, some of which have been pending for over 5 years, and tonight, we can report that has delivered 4 of them this week - on schedule.
He delivered a judgement on Monday, and another on Tuesday, and today he delivered 2 more. The first case is one brought by the major construction company, International Environments - which is building the 32-million dollar Belize City Center. They sued the Commissioner of Income Tax, and that case concluded in July of 2012, about 5 years and a month ago.
Then, he delivered a judgment in the case of Western Development Limited, and that company's lawsuit against the Attorney General.
Western Development is owned by the well-known PUP personality Bill Lindo, and he says that the Government owed him 59 million dollars for a contract his company carried out during the Musa Administration.
The Chief Justice ruled against him and in the favor of the Government, and this afternoon, he granted us an interview saying, that he would have wanted this judgement to be handed down much sooner - here's how he put it:
Daniel Ortiz, reporter
"What is the name of your company?"
Bill Lindo, Owner - Western Development Ltd.
"Western Development versus Government of Belize - you have to sue the AG. They say you can't sue the government, you have to sue the AG. We sue the AG for lack of performance of a contract. The court just ruled that there was no contract. The contract was not valid. I don't know why he waited 5 years to say that. That is easy to say. He could have said that 2 weeks after the hearing to say there is no contract, so there is no case. But he is the judge."
Daniel Ortiz, reporter
"Sir, given as a litigant, was it concerning to you that you had such a long delay for the court to decide?"
Bill Lindo, Owner - Western Development Ltd.
"No, those things does not concern me in Belize, because I live in Belize and I know how Belize goes. Belize is that people deal with things when they want to deal with it, depending on who you are and what party is in power. Those things doesn't bothers me."
Daniel Ortiz, reporter
"Do you intend to take your case to the appeal level or are you going to leave it as is?"
Bill Lindo, Owner - Western Development Ltd.
"I can't say that. I have to discuss that with first of all the main lawyer Mr. Courtenay and then they decide whether it makes sense or doesn't make sense. So I can't decide and we have wait until we get the written thing and then to through that in details and then decide that."
Daniel Ortiz, reporter
"Just for quick reference, how much were you saying that the government owed you?"
Bill Lindo, Owner - Western Development Ltd.
"We had sued the government fir 59 million dollars, but he (judge) said there was no contract which could repriform, so government will not pay anything."
We approached Carlo Arguelles of International Environments for an interview following the delivery of his company's judgement, but he told us that he needed to properly consult his attorney before making any comments.
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