Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Senior counsel responds to call for unity government

The article on a call for a unity government is a extreme example of naivety and self serving interests creeping into our culture of politics. It is shameful that once again "a leader" in the Diaspora has seen it fit to jump on the back of some of the most jaundiced, dishonest and corrupt misrepresentations of information ever executed by any agent of political mischief.

Also, the suggestion that somehow this Layou saga is new is idiotic. David Hsiu, who is no longer Ambassdador, was involved from day one and dealt with the Edison James' Government between 1995 and 2000. He was made Ambassador to facilitate the transfer to China and new Chinese investments for the new joint venture agreement for Layou and other projects.

The fact is that this dispute concerning the Layou is now before the Court in the BVI. Mr. Felix Chen has repeatedly said, and publicly, he has the greatest confidence in the Prime Minister. The cherry picking of allegations by Lennox Linton made by a former Ambassador, once described as dishonest by the very executioner Linton, is not only startling.Simply put, it was downright dishonest, improper and unethical. No more, symptomatic of lunacy! Just imagine one day, a person is lynched as corrupt and dishonest, and the next, simply to satisfy a paro political urge, this same corrupt and dishonest person, becomes an angel of the truth and guess what? From the same twisted tongue!! This madness can only happen in and be swallowed hook line and sinker by some of our own people!

The Prime Minister has been the very first to stand up and demand 51% equity in the Layou River project. Prior to that the Freedom Party and Edison James allowed Grace Tung and David Hsiu FREE REIGN! I would add, that at no time did Prime Minister Skerrit sign or agree to sign any document to re transfer 51% back to Hsiu's companies. This flagrant lie exposes the nakedly dishonest motive of the liar! The Prime Minister on many occasions declared his position that the Government owns 51% of the equity during Parliamentary Debates. Additionally, he has documented his determination in letters to Hsiu and Kieron Pinard Byrne, which letters are also before the Court. None were tread by Mr. James' agent.

What transpired was that there were discussions aimed at a resolution. I too met with Hsiu's Attorneys, but we could not agree on acceptable terms. And, whenever the Prime Minister met with Hsiu and his delegation, I was constantly briefed by the Prime Minister who on many occasions accepted my advice during these discussions. The matter will now be determined by the Court.

The Prime Minister has sworn to an affidavit supported by documents to support the Governments claim and Felix Chen's assertion is his rectification case that the Government owns 51%. No significant part of this affidavit or documents, which set out the Government's case have been read. This notwithstanding, the Lennox Linton's of this world select, like scavengers in the Temple, isolated parts of documents and affidavits and read them entirely out of context, while his political boss and sometimes paymaster sits in the studio with him!

The basic rule of law is that the Court will decide on whether the Government indeed has 51% of the equity. And, rest assured no attempt by Hsiu, Linton or Gabriel will deter us from the mission before the High Court of the BVI now or at any other time!

In conclusion, the allegations of corrupt are simply dishonest, false and entirely baseless.

Anthony W Astaphan,S.C.

3 Comments:

At February 18, 2009 10:40 AM , Anonymous Sniper said...

It was Lennox Linton acting in his private media practice capacity who first brought Mr Skerrit's affidavit filed on June 02, 2008 to public attention on Sunday July 27th, 2008. That special edition of Between U and Me on Q95 featured a detailed 2 hour interactive presentation on the salient points of the affidavit and Skerrit's unsigned November 4th letter to Hsiu in support of the affidavit. The record exists in the archives of Q95. There is no need for Tony Astaphan and others to seek to entitle themselves to their own facts regarding what Lennox Linton has disclosed or not disclosed in this matter.

In the course of the July 27, 2008 presentation, Lennox Linton categorically stated that Hsiu and Skerrit were at loggerheads in the BVI court. In the circumstances, he asked why then was Hsiu still our Ambassador to Beijing. Additionally, he pointed out for background and perspective that this was not the Government's court action against Hsiu... the action was taken by Shangri-La shareholder Felix Chen who named government as a defendant and therefore gave Skerrit a chance to stake government's claim to the 51% of the Shangri-La shares.

So lets get the facts straight and lets stick to the truth as opposed lies and political spin.

It was Lennox Linton who (free of any cost to the tax payer) enlightened the public on the Prime Minister's struggles in the BVI court. It was not Tony Astaphan - agent of Skerrit and recipient of 95 thousand dollars from the Dominican tax payers (before June 30, 2008) for preparing Skerrit's affidavit in the rectification lawsuit filed by Felix Chen.

Those who so desire are free to continue their bashing of Lennox Linton and hope it will prevent the hijacking of Dominica's international image by a bunch of unconscionable self interest prostitutes.

 
At February 20, 2009 8:21 AM , Anonymous Train said...

And it will be lennox acting alone in his defense. Because the IPO has ruled against him. I hope you sniper will snd some of those US recession dollars or your stimulus package to him to put up a defense.

 
At February 20, 2009 5:41 PM , Anonymous The Editor said...

A defense of what... Tell them bring it on.. The breach occured before, and they continue to be in breach.. The legal minds has gone wild... Not mine... Yes I am a legal mine.

 

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