BTL Heads to CCJ against former Directors over Investment in Channel 5

Saturday, June 20^th, 2015. Aaron Humes Reporting: Earlier this year former directors of Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL) and several companies that assisted in its management prior to the first nationalization by the Government of Belize in 2009 won a judgment in the Court of Appeal that declared them free of responsibility for financing Great Belize Productions, parent company of Great Belize Television (Channel 5) to the tune of $10 million and then divesting it away from BTL in the wake of the nationalization by Government.

BTL sued and won a judgment in the Court of Appeal that declared them free of responsibility for financing Great Belize Productions, parent company of Great Belize Television (Channel 5) to the tune of $10 million and then divesting it away from BTL in the wake of the nationalization by Government.

BTL sued and won summary judgment before then-Supreme Court Justice Samuel Awich, but after he moved up to the Court of Appeal his colleagues overruled that judgment in March of this year. Now BTL has won leave to appeal the case to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), which is hearing the separate but concurrent nationalization cases which are pending a decision.

BTL’s attorney Michael Young after court this afternoon said BTL still complains that its money should not have been used to support the TV station, which Government has accused of being a mouthpiece for opposition elements, and the CCJ will help to resolve this aspect of the case.

BTL is being opposed by Senior Counsel Eamon Courtenay on behalf of the former BTL directors including Philip Zuniga and Jose Alpuche on behalf of Channel Overseas Investments Limited and its related companies. Courtenay told us he does not expect BTL will get very far at the CCJ because the deed and clause of indemnity against the former directors stands against them.

Young and BTL now have 90 days to file the case before the CCJ.