Long Overdue Re-division Exercise Completed
Prime Minister John Briceño
The re-division exercise carried out by the Elections and Boundaries Commission has been completed. The activity was held to consider the distribution of Belize’s population and make provisions for dividing the country into at least twenty-eight electoral divisions. The chairman of the Elections and Boundaries Commission will present a report with proposals to the National Assembly for it to be presented to the House of Representatives. A release issued earlier informs that during this period, any publication or dissemination of the report prior to the previously mentioned steps being taken, is a violation of the privileges and Standing Order of the House of Representatives. Following that release, The United Democratic Party has issued a statement denouncing what it describes as the Elections and Boundaries Commission, “attempting to suppress the publication of the redistricting proposal it will present to parliament on July thirtieth, 2023”. According to the U.D.P. release, the Elections and Boundaries Commission has zero authority to invoke the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives. Elsewhere in the release it calls on the Elections and Boundaries Commission to, “rescind that preposterous press release and adhere to the Constitution of Belize which allows for freedom of expression and should enshrine freedom of the press to publicly scrutinize and criticize this redistricting report that falls woefully short of the constitutional requirements”. Prime Minister John Briceño commented on the matter on Thursday.
Prime Minister John Briceño
“The process is that the committee hands it to the Elections & Boundaries Commission. They review it and if they accept the recommendations or make any changes then that will be tabled to the National Assembly. I’m not sure if the prime minister tables it or if it’s going to be the minister responsible for the Elections & Boundaries Commission. But the process is from the committee, the Elections & Boundaries Commission and then it goes on to the National Assembly for debate and to be able to either accept or not.”
Duane Moody
“Any concerns at this time about the proposal, because I know that has been issued to the different political parties?”
Prime Minister John Briceño
“Well it was not issued officially to any political party, what has happened is that one member decided to hand it over to their political party. That should have stayed within them. But the thing is that, you know, we live in a vibrant democracy and you can never please a hundred percent. So you only require one person to say I’m not happy and wanting to challenge it in the court. What is important, and I’ve mentioned it to the minister responsible for Elections & Boundaries Commission, which is Minister Henry Charles Usher, is that it is important that whatever comes to the house can withstand the scrutiny of the courts.”
