Gov’t is unfazed by Canadian court’s ruling.

The government has scoffed at a Canadian Court’s recent default ruling in favour of HMB Holdings Limited, with Prime Minister Gaston Browne labelling the company’s civil suit as a case in futility.
“That judgement has no bearing on the courts here, it is not enforceable here, it is not part of our jurisprudence,” he argued.
Browne was referring to the garnishee order for CDN $30.2 million that the British Columbia (BC) Supreme Court granted to HMB Holdings on April 7.
OBSERVER media obtained a copy of the document, which showed that CDN $28.7 million represents the principal outstanding and CDN $1.4 million interest on that amount, calculated at an annual rate of 4 per cent from December 24, 2015 to April 6, 2017, pursuant to a Privy Council Order in May 2014.
The failure of Browne’s administration to appeal the decision within 60 days of being served, means that any money the new proprietors owe the government for the property, is to be handed over to the Canadian courts.
Browne confirmed that an outstanding balance of US $3 million (from US $23 million) is due from Freetown Destination Resort Ltd, the Antiguan-registered subsidiary of BC-based Replay Resorts Inc.
“It will be paid shortly and we will pay it into the accounts of HMB,” he said, with total disregard for the ruling.
The prime minister stated that once the principal has been cleared, attention will be turned to “hopefully” negotiating an “amicable” agreement with HMB Holdings for the interest payments.
Browne insisted that the government never intended to profit from the sale of the 115-acre property.
(More in today’s Daily Observer)