GOB Ordered to Pay Former PM Dean Barrow Significant Damages

The Government of Belize has been ordered by the Court of Appeal to pay former Prime Minister Dean Barrow a total of $185,000 in damages after it was found that a Commission of Inquiry into the sale of government assets violated his constitutional rights.

The payout includes $125,000 in compensatory damages for emotional distress and reputational harm and an additional $60,000 in vindicatory damages to underscore the seriousness of the rights violations.

The Court upheld an earlier decision by the Supreme Court, which found that the Commission, established by Prime Minister John Briceño in 2021, failed to give Barrow a fair opportunity to respond to damaging allegations before publishing its report.

Barrow, who served as both Prime Minister and Minister of Finance during the period investigated, argued that the COI’s findings, publicly accusing him of favouritism, mismanagement, and possible criminal conduct, were made without giving him a fair chance to defend himself. The court agreed, describing the commission’s language as “pungent” and its process as a “blatant violation” of Barrow’s right to natural justice.

The Court also rejected the government’s appeal to reduce or overturn the damages, stating that the award was justified given the public nature and severity of the Commission’s accusations. Although it declined to label the entire inquiry biased, the court quashed all portions of the COI report that referred to or implicated Barrow, leaving only process-orientated recommendations intact.

Barrow was also awarded full legal costs.