Date of election is February 7th …
After months of public speculation Prime Minister Said Musa has finally made it official. Belizeans will go to the polls on February seventh. The announcement came at a close door prayer breakfast with clergymen at the Princess Hotel. News Five’s Janelle Chanona caught the P.M. as he left the meeting this morning.
Prime Minister Said Musa
“I am today advising the Governor General to dissolve the National Assembly and to have nomination day on January the twenty-first and election day on Thursday, February the seventh. Also, we discussed and I mentioned to them that we will also be having the referendum for the issue as to an elected Senate, will be also be determined, will also be held on Thursday, the seventh, the same day but on a different ballot, not the same ballot.”
The Prime Minister made his much anticipated election-day announcement following a breakfast meeting with religious leaders at the Princess Hotel this morning. But the P.M. also took the opportunity to confirm that the referendum on an elected senate will take place on the same day.
Prime Minister Said Musa
“All that we are asking people to do is to decide on the issue whether or not you want an elected Senate. We are not deciding on election day the issue of an elected Senate in the sense of working it all out, we will be putting out a model, a suggested model, but the truth of the matter is the whole process of what type of elected Senate we will have, if the people so decide, needs to be carried out after very serious dialogue, debate, robust debate in fact, so that we can settle on a type of Senate that will work for the good of Belize.”
Jules Vasquez, 7 News
“Are you concerned that you may not have the support of Mr. Godwin Hulse, the lead advocate of an elected Senate, he has indicated that if it coincided with the election date, he will not support it.”
Prime Minister Said Musa
“Mr. Godwin Hulse is one vote. I am concerned to ensure that people exercise freely their choice whether or not they want an elected Senate; that would be our concern. The People’s United Party has made its position very clear, we are in favor of an elected Senate and we would hope to persuade enough people, the majority that this is the way we should go.”
Initial predictions were that Belizeans would head to the polls on February sixth.
Right Revd. Philip Wright, Anglican Bishop
“We express our concern about an election on Ash Wednesday indeed, yes.”
But the religious leaders expressed their unease and by the time the P.M. emerged from the breakfast meeting, the date had been pushed back by a day.
Right Revd. Philip Wright
“The religious leaders of the country also are involved with the people, as with politicians and sometimes I think it is good to hear from the religious leaders who often know of the realities of people’s lives.”
Canon Leroy Flowers
“I have no problem with a date, any date can be called, I’m ready to put a vote as a citizen of this land.”
…A sentiment many Belizeans will echo. Reporting for News Five, I am Janelle Chanona.
