BELIZE CITY, Tues. Feb. 2, 2021– In early January 2021, the Government of Belize announced the appointment of Estelle Leslie as the new Comptroller of Customs. She replaced and, according to those who disapprove of the appointment, leapfrogged, a fellow senior customs officer, Ian Haylock. This week news broke that Deputy Comptroller Haylock is seeking leave from the Supreme Court to apply for an action in Judicial Review challenging the appointment made by Prime Minister John Briceño, and he has retained the services of former Prime Minister and Senior Counsel, Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow, and former president of the Senate, Darrell Bradley.
The case is being presided over by Justice Westmin James. Attorney for Leslie, Senior Counsel Andrew Marshalleck, requested that she be joined to the action as an interested party — a request to which the attorneys for Haylock objected. The lawsuit is being brought against the Prime Minister, John Briceño, and the Attorney General of Belize. Jorge Matus is representing the Attorney General’s Ministry.
During the Senate’s debate of the Good Governance Motion 2021, the lead Opposition senator, Hon. Michael Peyrefitte, outlined that the appointment of Leslie may have been made illegally, since he claims that the Public Service Commission (PSC) was never consulted before the appointment of Comptroller of Customs was assigned as a section 107 appointment.
Senator Eamon Courtenay, lead government senator, at the time presented a letter which indicated that Government did, in fact, write to the PSC requesting their input but never received a reply. The preliminary hearing is currently before the courts, which will determine if the judicial review into the appointment of the first female Comptroller of Customs will be allowed.
At a recent proceeding which was held on Wednesday, February 3rd, Justice Westmin James heard arguments from both sides. The Government of Belize, represented by Assistant Solicitor General Samantha Matute-Tucker advised the court to deny the application in Judicial Review since adequate consultation was conducted between the Prime Minister and the PSC. They called the claim an academic exercise.
Ian Haylock’s lead counsel, former Prime Minister Dean Barrow shared that the consultation attempted by the Government was not sufficient or done in good faith. He asserted that the PSC was only given one day or less to give a response. He shared that the Government’s failure to adequately consult the PSC gives his client an arguable case.
On February 9th, Justice James will give his decision as to whether or not leave will be granted to Deputy Comptroller Haylock to bring his action in Judicial Review against Prime Minister John Briceno and the Government of Belize for the appointment of Estelle Leslie, the Comptroller of Customs.