Former Mayor Khalid Belisle Drops Out of Belmopan Race

Khalid Belisle

Former Belmopan Mayor Khalid Belisle has bowed out of the political race for the Garden City.  On Saturday, following the N.P.C.’s decision to allow John Saldivar to run as a candidate for standard bearer, Belisle tendered a letter explaining his reason for opting out of the forthcoming convention.  While U.D.P. Chairman Peyrefitte spoke on the new configuration of candidates, he also explained his reason for abstaining from Saturday’s vote.

Mike Peyrefitte

Mike Peyrefitte, Chairman, United Democratic Party

“I believe [that] Mr. Khalid Belisle, as you all already should know, he withdrew his candidacy.  So when the Belmopan convention is called, then the people of Belmopan will determine whether they want Mr. Saldivar or Mr. Torres.  That’s where we are now and George Lovell. I believe that as a person on the special committee, maybe I was entrapped by my legal mind.  I made, I was a part of a body, the special committee that made a decision.  I don’t think that I should have voted as a member of a higher body to decide whether or not to reverse or accept that decision.  I don’t believe that if I’m a supreme court judge and I make a decision, then that matter goes to appeal, I’m one of the judges of appeal that will decide whether or not my decision was correct or wrong.  So I just thought that I should not have voted in that circumstance.  But my the time my vote came about and my abstention came about, the matter was already decided in any way.”