Attorney for Tony Novelo Produces Court Ruling Evidence

On Wednesday, the Belize City Council issued a press release stating that it could not find a court ruling made several years ago in which the council has to pay businessman, Tony Novelo monies. Novelo had written the council seeking payment for over four hundred thousand dollars, but the council in its response, said it knew nothing about the ruling. It happened that Novelo, who along with his brother, David, owned Novelo’s Bus Terminal, had sought to purchase the land near the Pound Yard Bridge from the council. Both sides ended up in court. Today, attorney for Novelo, Arthur Saldivar explained how it ended up that the council owes Novelo.

 

Arthur Saldivar, Attorney for Toney Novelo

“The claim surrounds a portion of land the  property that once belonged to the City Council. They were selling it at the time for $1.2 million and they brought a claim that $1,061,000 was outstanding. And they sought to claim that sum from Antonio Novelo. Initially, he had contracted Dr. Elson Kaseke and thereafter, during the course of it, a team of attorneys came on board to assist with the defense. Ultimately, a few weeks, in 2011, the matter was concluded. The judgment itself was issued in 2009, October 2009. And in 2011, we had been trying to secure the payment of legal fees from the City Council. Those legal fees were never paid. From my recollection of things because Dr. Keseke had fallen ill, it was incumbent on Mr. Novelo to assist him, and that remaining legal fees wasn’t paid by the council, so the attorneys on the matter could not be paid. And this is basically what caused the initial action to seek to collect, because the council has always acknowledged the debt but they have not discharged and with that debt, interest accrues.”

 

Reporter

“What is this about the current council now issuing a release saying that they have no copy of this judgment. They want to see it. They’ve said they’ve requested it from you all and you have not made a copy available to them.”

 

Arthur Saldivar

“That’s utter nonsense.”