BCWJ Demands Full BTL Legal Fee Disclosure

The Belize Communications Workers for Justice now wants BTL to disclose exactly how much it spent on legal fees in the Ervin Marin case. Former union president Emily Turner claims the company paid out millions across all three courts but says only BTL can confirm the real figure. This afternoon, protesters marched to Charter House and then stopped outside the Balderamos Arthurs law firm, whose attorneys represented BTL at the CCJ. Before any story could air, the firm issued a sharp warning to the media, stressing that Melissa Balderamos Mahler sits on BTL’s board only as a non‑voting Corporate Secretary and that the firm has no dispute with the BCWJ, leaving them puzzled as to why the protest targeted their office. And then there’s another turn: Attorney Glenfield Dennison is reportedly billing the BCWJ one hundred and eighty‑three thousand dollars in legal fees.

 

Glenfield Dennison, Union Senator

“In fact what it is being dubbed is a smear campaign and I say categorically that the people of BTL really are calculating. The strategy was and has always been to get value for the BCWJ workers. I am here because behind me is the law firm of the corporate secretary. And it is those invoices that the public needs to start to see. Since BTL wishes to talk about invoices, let us talk about all your invoices.”

 

Paul Lopez

“Is it not a fact that BTL sent a letter requesting that the BCWJ send in the quote for legal fees?”

 

Glenfield Dennison

“Let me be very clear, the genesis of that invoice is in the negotiating. Emily Turner and I are very strategic in this negotiations. When we say we are trying to get value for the BCWJ workers one of the things we put on the table is the legal fees. The value of those legal fees, to let BTL understand that this is not a question of us trying to nickel and dime BTL, that going to court has real ramifications for BCWJ and its members in terms of the direct amount of money they will take home.”

 

Paul Lopez

“Why response to that letter if there was no serious intent of collecting?”

 

Emily Turner, Organizer, Belize Communications Workers for Justice

“We knew they would leak it. It is so obvious, like I wonder if they are thinking? Like they don’t stop and think of what is being presented to them. We had a ploy to keep the six percent and draw out the legal fees.”

 

We reached out to the law firm for comments. Balderamos Arthurs LLP says it had not earned millions of dollars in legal fees, while noting that it assisted two other Senior Counsels who were lead attorneys in the case. The law firm argues that the total fees paid its office are significantly less than what Senator Dennison is seeking to recover from BTL for negotiating on behalf of BCWJ. Balderamos Arthurs LLP also states that there is no conflict in law, adding that former corporate secretaries have provided legal services to BTL.

 

Union Senator Glenfield Dennison Defends His Move

 

Dennison and the BCWJ argue that the legal‑fee issue was part of their strategy to draw BTL into a conversation. But how much trouble has that move caused him as a Crown Counsel? We asked him today, and he said that if he loses his job over it, then it would have been for a worthy cause.

 

Glenfield Dennison, Attorney-at-law

“Miss Turner has already said how much percentages of the severance that would have been collected by BCWJ workers were being demanded by law firms, that is the fact. Those people cannot afford to pay those legal fees. So that was our strategy and BTL fell right into that trap.”

 

Paul Lopez

“How much trouble has this invoice created for you in your profession?”

 

Glenfield Dennison

“None, none that I know of?”

 

Paul Lopez

“You are fully aware, I would imagine of your limitations?”

 

Glenfield Dennison

“I believe so.  But I will say this to answer your question, Emily and I strategized very clearly about the implications this could have on my job. And Emily is here to tell you that I resolved to tell her this, Emily if they fire me over this it is a worthy cause.”

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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