Redistricting Needed, but Not So Close to a General Election
John Briceño
There is a case before the courts brought by the Belize Peace Movement and joined by Lord Michael Ashcroft against the government on the issue of redistricting. There are thirty-one constituencies but there is a huge disparity in the number of voters. The smallest constituency is Fort George in the city, while the biggest is in Stann Creek; the difference is approximately five thousand votes. The thinking of the claimants is that the voters are not equally represented with voters in the smallest constituencies having more say than in the bigger constituencies. This morning, Briceño said that while there is a need to bring the constituencies in uniform, there is the question of timing.
John Briceño, Leader of the Opposition
“The concern that we have when it comes to redistricting. We know and understand and support that there has to be a redistricting, but we are coming too close to an election, we believe, to have a fair redistricting effort at this time. Why do I say that? Well once you have the area that you represent, you create a relationship with most your voters and over time. But if you come and change these voters and you get new voters two months or three months before an election, you don’t have the opportunity to get to know them. So I think the redistricting shows have been done way back.”
Marleni Cuellar
“Can it be argued that no political party has that interest? Neither the U.D.P. or P.U.P. You have long established relationships with your voters in your constituency. A redistricting essentially will have to allow certain representatives to build brand new relationships to take care of new voters.”
John Briceño
“I have had redistricting in my constituency. In 2006, I got new voters in Orange Walk Town. I got San Estevan, but it was at least a year and half before the election so I could have talked to them and build a new relationship with these people. But right now we don’t have the time. That is my concern. Do we need redistricting? Yes we need redistricting. Do we have to? Yes we have to do redistricting. It’s a matter of timing and also—something that we don’t talk much about—is that we have to look at the Elections and Boundaries Commission that again is controlled strictly by the government. It is a former chairman of the U.D.P. that is chairman of the Elections and Boundaries Commission. What do you think they will do when they go draw their lines? Again, we have to find some form of independence in that area.”
