1. There is no plan to sell Canada House and the Compound of Newtown Barracks. In a private discussion where the topic was the cessation of funds from the Canadian Ex-Servicemen League, which is the only source of funding of the Belize Ex-Servicemen League, the sale of the property and investment of some of the funds in a Trust Fund similar to the Baron Bliss Fund was discussed. The primary purpose of the League is to provide for the welfare of the members of the League. That is why when the Belize City Branch generates income using the League?s property and name, the Executive Council is concerned when no financial reports are submitted as required by the constitution.

2. By the time this letter is printed the bank account of the Belize City Branch referred to will no longer be frozen. It is true that the executive requested that the account be frozen and the Bank did comply. Subsequently the Bank communicated with the Executive Council stating that they had been advised to unfreeze the account. The Executive had every right to make this request, but did not do so through the proper procedure. It can always revive its request to the Bank by going to the Supreme Court and getting an Order that the accounts be frozen until an audit is completed. The Constitution states that the ?Executive Council has the power to authorize any person or persons whether members of the League or not to examine any or all of the books of a Branch and to audit accounts?. The Executive Council had never before requested a review of the finances of the Belize City Branch; coupled with the apparent ignorance of the provisions of the Constitution by the Branch this request created the misconception that the executive Council was doing something wrong.

3. ?The demands for payments from the Branch? is the Executive?s request of the Belize City Branch to contribute a part of its profits to the Executive Council who has the constitutional responsibility to distribute monthly financial assistance to some ninety veterans and assist with medical and burial costs when necessary. The Belize City Branch does not have this responsibility. Everyone knows that their dances held at the League?s property are usually profitable concerns and these dances are held twice monthly. What happens to the money made at these dances? A policy adopted for years was that 10% of the takings be handed in to the Executive Council. For quite a while now the Belize City Branch has been reporting a break even situation. When the Women Auxiliary was given the opportunity to hold a dance on Mother?s Day they handed in $1,300.00 to the Executive Council after clearing all their expenses and keeping some funds for their account. They were reprimanded by the Belize City Branch for being so stupid to hand in that amount of money to the Executive Council. It is the property and the name of the Belize Ex-Services League that is being used for these fundraising concerns. The Executive Council decided to levy a rental agreement to bring things in line. It is natural that since past practices are being rectified by the Executive Council those profiting from these dances will make the most noise.

Mr. Editor, above are the facts as they pertain to your published article. The Council hopes that when this letter is published the public will also understand what the situation is at the Belize Ex-Services League. The Executive Council?s request is for this letter to be published in addition to a published apology from you, the editor of the Amandala Newspaper, for the libelous statement found in the aforementioned article.

(Signed) Cynthia Pitts

Attorney-at-Law