Senator Eamon Courtenay, who some describe as the least liked person in politics, delivered a critical blow to the Ashcroft Alliance on Monday, January 30, when he voted to seal the country’s assets from the reach of “predators” like his Sith Lord. Before voting in favour of the bill, Courtenay said, “No one – absolutely no one in this chamber – myself included – will vote against a bill that seeks to give further immunity to the assets held by the Central Bank. No one.” With those words, he drove a dagger deep into Ashcroft’s back. “Et tu Brute!” It was the final and most painful blow in an attack that started three days earlier, Friday, January 27, when Prime Minister Barrow introduced the Central Bank Immunity Bill.
Prime Minister Barrow kept close to his vest the intention of passing the Central Bank Immunity Bill through the House of Representatives on Friday, January 27, which “restate for greater certainty the immunity of the Central Bank of Belize from legal proceedings in other states”. The bill passed with unanimous support from members of the House, Government and Opposition, and makes it tougher for the Ashcroft Alliance to go after the country’s assets abroad as payment for arbitration awards upheld by U.S. Courts. It was not announced until Thursday, January 26, that there would be a Special Sitting of the House on Friday. Only Cabinet officials were aware of the intent to introduce the bill in order to prevent the alliance from learning of its existence and launching a preemptive strike.
In introducing the bill on Friday, Prime Minister Barrow explained, “Last Tuesday those entities [Ashcroft Alliance] filed a motion in the district court in Washington DC to be allowed to enforce those judgments against the government of Belize. Nothing so far in the proceedings that have taken place in the United States mention the Central Bank of Belize but because we know that this country’s reserves constitute a big fat inviting target to that predator who would seek to collapse our economy we believe that once they obtain the order for enforcement of the judgments they will seek to attach the assets, the holdings of the Central Bank of Belize.”
Prime Minister Barrow had at the previous House Meeting on January 13 warned that if they try to go after the country’s assets, “I would consider that an act of economic war.” It therefore appears that the war has started and with the Central bank Immunity Bill the country has set up its first line of defense. This line is made stronger by having bi-partisan foundation. It was a proud moment for the nation when Prime Minister Barrow called for a division of the House to be taken and all members present voted in favour of the bill. “This is not an issue that ought to attract the kind of political division that we are used to with respect to almost everything in this country,” said Prime Minister Barrow, and it did not.
After expressing his displeasure with being kept in the dark, Hon. Johnny Briceno strongly supported the bill and his caucus followed. “If you tell me it is something of national interest and that we have to keep it to ourselves then we have to do that,” said Briceno about being kept out of the loop, “we are both men here representing the country. You love this country as much as I love this country Prime Minister.” Despite the displeasure with how the bill was handled, Briceno concluded, “We’re trying to pass legislation to prevent this man to come after our assets, something that I fully support that we have to protect our foreign reserves and we can’t allow this man who from time to time behaves like a predator coming after us.”
The Act makes it criminal for anyone to go after the assets of the Central Bank of Belize with a penalty of up to two years imprisonment. “I don’t see how any red blooded Belizean will not agree with what we are trying to do here, which I repeat is to secure the objective of absolutely firewalling, putting beyond any doubt or dispute the sanctity of the reserves, the assets of the Central Bank of Belize.”
The bill passed with unanimous support in the Senate on Monday, including Eamon Courtenay who said for the record, “In my personal capacity and in my professional capacity I am affected by the legislation that is before the senate. It threatens personal criminalization of me and it threatens my practice of law.” He then went on to choose country over the cash cow – at least in public view. Belizeans can only hope that the line of defense, bi-partisan fortified line of defense, holds firm and withstand imminent attack from the evil order.
