Senator for Labor Unions says Stakebank Acquisition Could Have Been Done in a More Pointed Approach

The Prime Minister has responded to the National Trade Union Congress of Belize’s three-page letter raising concerns about the government’s decision to compulsory acquire 23 acres land around the Stake Bank Development. This week, the union called on GOB to refrain from making its second gazette publication next month, and questioned whether the acquisition is for public purpose given the land will be handed over to a private company. The union argued that leaving the Stake Bank matter to go before the courts or using the Land Acquisition (Promoters) Act would have been better options. In his letter, the PM tells the NTUCB that while he cannot say much due to the live litigation, he assures that the move is vested in the public interest and the need to boost the country’s low cruise tourism numbers. He also pointed to the substantial investments made in the project and the need to protect the country’s investment climate. Nonetheless, the union believes that the acquisition could have been done in a more pointed approach, according to Senator for the Labor Unions, Glenfield Dennison. 

Glenfield Dennison, Union Senator: “In my mind and in the view of the Trade Union Congress it isn’t a public purpose. They are acquiring on behalf of the promoter and really that’s where you trigger the other piece of legislation. And I challenge media houses to look at the two pieces of legislation, it’s in very simple language and the promoter one is only five sections long. It just shows that the promoter once you go through the administrative process of doing the inquiry and then sending it to the legislature they then have the same powers to vest the land and there’s a safeguard in there that the agreement that’s made between the government and the promoter is published in the gazette so that’s clear for everybody to be able to see and if the promoter then fails to comply with what was the requirements then the land will be forfeited back to the government. So that’s an additional safeguard and I just don’t know that it’s worth the intervention of the government because I don’t think it’s a simple case before the court but it’s definitely not a complex issue. Mr.Feinstein would have had an arrangement with the bank it’s really I don’t want to test the merits and demerits of it but that matter is not very complex and so it will be resolved in favor of who is the true owner of the land once that goes through the judicial process. So there’s also the option of doing nothing until that goes through.”

Reporter: Urgency sir.

Glenfield Dennison, Union Senator: “I get the call for urgency. I don’t share the view. The situation with the cruise industry has been known for quite a while now and it’s now all of a sudden they’ve put Mr.Feinstein through quite a bit and now it’s urgent that the court finishes you see ? So I can disagree with the government on that one.”

The NTUCB says it will continue to rally against the acquisition.