Pca Case Nº 2010-18 in the Matter of an Arbitration
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PCA CASE Nº 2010-18 IN THE MATTER OF AN ARBITRATION PURSUANT TO THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND AND THE GOVERNMENT OF BELIZE FOR THE PROMOTION AND PROTECTION OF INVESTMENTS OF 30 APRIL 1982 BEFORE A TRIBUNAL CONSTITUTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ARBITRATION RULES OF THE UNITED NATIONS COMMISSION ON INTERNATIONAL TRADE LAW OF 1976 -between- BRITISH CARIBBEAN BANK LIMITED (TURKS & CAICOS) (“Claimant”) -and- THE GOVERNMENT OF BELIZE (“Respondent”, and together with Claimant, the “Parties”) __________________________________________________________ AWARD __________________________________________________________ Arbitral Tribunal Professor Albert Jan van den Berg Mr. John Beechey Mr. Rodrigo Oreamuno 19 December 2014 PCA Case No. 2010-18 Award Page i of iii TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................... 1 A. THE PARTIES .................................................................................................................................. 1 B. BACKGROUND OF THE DISPUTE ..................................................................................................... 1 II. PROCEDURAL HISTORY ........................................................................................................ 2 III. THE FACTUAL RECORD ........................................................................................................ 9 A. THE CORPORATE ENTITIES ............................................................................................................ 9 B. DRAMATIS PERSONAE ...................................................................................................................... 9 C. LOAN AND SECURITY AGREEMENTS ........................................................................................... 10 1. The Contractual Relationship between British Caribbean Bank and Sunshine ................. 10 2. Contractual Arrangements between British Caribbean Bank and Telemedia ................... 12 D. THE PURCHASE OF TELEMEDIA SHARES BY TELEMEDIA INVESTMENTS LIMITED ...................... 13 E. THE ACQUISITION OF TELEMEDIA AND SUNSHINE ...................................................................... 14 F. CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE ACQUISITION OF TELEMEDIA AND SUNSHINE ..................................... 18 G. CLAIMS FOR COMPENSATION AND CHALLENGES TO THE ACQUISITION OF TELEMEDIA AND SUNSHINE ..................................................................................................................................... 21 H. THE RE-ACQUISITION OF TELEMEDIA AND SUNSHINE ................................................................ 25 I. CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE RE-ACQUISITION OF TELEMEDIA AND SUNSHINE ............................... 27 J. CLAIMS FOR COMPENSATION AND CHALLENGES TO THE RE-ACQUISITION OF TELEMEDIA ...... 29 K. LEGAL ACTIONS RELATING TO THESE ARBITRAL PROCEEDINGS ............................................... 32 IV. RELIEF REQUESTED ............................................................................................................. 34 V. THE TRIBUNAL’S CONSIDERATIONS .............................................................................. 35 A. THE TRIBUNAL’S JURISDICTION AND APPLICABLE LAW ............................................................. 35 B. THE VALIDITY OF THE LOAN AND SECURITY AGREEMENTS ....................................................... 37 1. The Validity of the Telemedia Facility and the Telemedia Mortgage ............................... 37 2. The Validity of the Sunshine Agreements ......................................................................... 51 C. THE RESPONDENT’S PRELIMINARY OBJECTIONS ........................................................................ 54 1. Admissibility ..................................................................................................................... 54 2. Jurisdiction ........................................................................................................................ 60 (a) The existence of an investment ................................................................................ 60 (b) Whether the investment was “made in Belize” ....................................................... 62 (c) The existence of an expropriation ........................................................................... 65 D. THE MERITS OF THE ALLEGED BREACHES OF THE TREATY ........................................................ 66 1. Article 5 of the Treaty and Expropriation ......................................................................... 66 2. Quantum in respect of the Claimant’s Expropriation Claim ............................................. 76 3. Article 2 and Fair and Equitable Treatment ...................................................................... 81 4. Quantum in respect of the Claimant’s Fair and Equitable Treatment Claim .................... 86 5. Other Alleged Breaches of the Treaty ............................................................................... 93 VI. COSTS ........................................................................................................................................ 94 A. COSTS OF ARBITRATION .............................................................................................................. 95 B. COSTS OF LEGAL REPRESENTATION AND ASSISTANCE ............................................................... 96 VII. DISPOSITIF ............................................................................................................................. 100 PCA Case No. 2010-18 Award Page ii of iii LIST OF DEFINED TERMS 2009 Act Belize Telecommunications (Amendment) Act, 2009 2009 Amendment Order Belize Telecommunications (Assumption of Control over Belize Telemedia Limited) (Amendment) Order, 2009 2009 Order Belize Telecommunications (Assumption of Control over Belize Telemedia Limited) Order, 2009 2009 Orders The 2009 Order and the 2009 Amendment Order 2011 Act Belize Telecommunications (Amendment) Act, 2011 2011 Order Belize Telecommunication (Assumption of Control over Belize Telemedia Limited) Order, 2011 Accommodation Agreement An agreement between Telemedia and the Government dated 19 September 2005 Anti-Arbitration Injunction The injunction issued by the Supreme Court of Belize on 7 December 2010 Anti-Suit Injunction The injunction issued by the High Court of Justice of England and Wales on 4 May 2010 Appointing Authority The Honourable Marc Lalonde, P.C., O.C., Q.C. BCB British Caribbean Bank Limited British Caribbean Bank British Caribbean Bank Limited BTL Belize Telecommunications Limited CCJ Judgment The Caribbean Court of Justice’s Judgment of 25 June 2013 Claim 360 The Respondent and Telemedia’s lawsuit against the Claimant, commenced on 3 June 2011 Claimant British Caribbean Bank Limited Dunkeld Proceedings The arbitration proceedings in Dunkeld International Investment Limited (Turks & Caicos) v. The Government of Belize (PCA Case No. 2010-13) Eighth Amendment Belize Constitution (Eighth Amendment) Act, 2011 Employees Trust Belize Telecommunications Ltd Employees Trust First Constitutional Challenge The Claimant’s constitutional challenge to the 2009 Act and Order commenced on 21 October 2009 Government the Government of Belize PCA Case No. 2010-18 Award Page iii of iii GOB the Government of Belize Motion to Strike The Respondent’s application of 8 April 2014 to strike certain spreadsheets from the Claimant’s Post-Hearing Memorial PCA Permanent Court of Arbitration Preparatory Conference The Preparatory Conference in this arbitration held in Washington, DC on 26 August 2010 Respondent the Government of Belize Respondent’s Application for The Respondent’s application of 3 June 2014, seeking leave Further Submissions to introduce into the record the Court of Appeal’s decision, to submit “supplemental briefing with respect to the effect of the Court of Appeal decision,” and to introduce additional evidence identified in relation to the Dunkeld Proceedings Respondent’s Document Requests The Respondent’s Requests for Production of Documents dated 28 September 2013 and the Schedule of Definitions to GOB’s Requests for Production of Documents Second Constitutional Challenge The Claimant’s constitutional challenge to the 2011 Act and Order commenced on 24 September 2011 Second Motion to Strike The Respondent’s application of 23 April 2014 to strike the Claimant’s claim for legal fees in respect of the Anti-Suit Injunction Sunshine Sunshine Holding Limited Telemedia Belize Telemedia TIL Telemedia Investments Limited Treaty Agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of Belize for the Promotion and Protection of Investments of 30 April 1982 UNCITRAL Rules Arbitration Rules of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law, 1976 PCA Case Nº 2010-18 Award Page 1 of 102 I. INTRODUCTION A. THE PARTIES 1. The Claimant in this arbitration is British Caribbean Bank Limited (“British Caribbean Bank”, “BCB” or the “Claimant”), a private company with limited liability, incorporated under the laws of the Turks and Caicos Islands, with its registered address at Governor’s Road, Leeward, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands. The Claimant is represented in these proceedings by Judith Gill QC, Matthew Gearing QC, Ms. Angeline Welsh, Mr. Rishab Gupta, and Mr. James