By Belize Live News Staff: The Belize Tourism Board (BTB) has now suffered a fourth legal defeat in court over contracts issued under the previous administration, with over $1 million in damages awarded to former top officials.
In the latest ruling, the Supreme Court sided with Norman Young, BTB’s former IT director, awarding him more than $230,000 in compensation. The court determined that Young’s fixed-term contract had been improperly terminated, making him the latest in a growing list of successful claimants.
This decision comes on the heels of a major loss at the Court of Appeal, which upheld a previous judgment in favor of former Director of Tourism Karen Bevans. Bevans is now confirmed to receive nearly $770,000, following the court’s rejection of BTB’s claim that her contract was invalid.
These rulings mirror last year’s outcome in the case of Misty Michael, former Director of Marketing, who was awarded $217,000. In each case, the courts found that BTB officials who issued the contracts had the legal authority to do so, regardless of internal claims of procedural irregularities.
Despite the setbacks, BTB’s legal team says it intends to challenge the rulings before the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), arguing that contracts signed close to the 2020 general elections lacked full board approval and should not be binding.
