Cabinet Ministers Express Serious Concerns on Proposed Redistricting Report

The redistricting exercise has brought with it a fresh round of controversy and politicians from both major political parties, as well as the Belize Peace Movement, are sounding off on the recommendations of the Elections and Boundaries Commission.  Today’s cabinet brief spoke about a number of developments, including approval for the Central Bank of Belize to print new currency notes bearing the image of Belize’s national heroes, George Price and Philip Goldson. That story is coming up later, but what stood out most was the Cabinet expressing serious concerns about those recommendations made by the Elections and Boundaries Commission on the redistricting exercise. The report which was handed over to the Prime Minister earlier this week will be tabled in the National Assembly for debate, but we did get reaction from Deputy Prime Minister Cordel Hyde and Cayo South area rep Julius Espat.  The proposal, which plans to keep the thirty-one seats in the House of Representatives, does not align with international law.

Cordel Hyde

Cordel Hyde, Deputy Prime Minister

“We do have major concerns. We had a major concern with the, I believe it is the deviation rate. I can’t recall the exact terms. The deviation rate – that proposal is looking at twenty-five percent when globally across the world the accepted rate is closer to fifteen percent. So that immediately sent off alarm bells. We also want to be in compliance with the constitution that says that each constituency, each division is supposed to have as close a number as possible, equal number as possible in terms of electors. And that’s what we want. And what we saw on Tuesday did not pass that smell test. So ultimately this thing will be tabled in the National Assembly. But I would want to think that the commission will end up having to have a do over. But that’s where we are; that’s our initial reaction to it. We just didn’t like what we saw.”

Julius Espat

Julius Espat, Area Representative, Cayo South

“My concern is equitable distribution. If you are going to do this exercise, you have to follow international norms that determine what your range is and yo can’t di play with it. Why I am saying this? Because it might hurt some of us that we might not like it, but at the end of the day it has to pass legal scrutiny. And so at the meeting, I asked one question to one of the attorneys can this document pass legal scrutiny and he said it wouldn’t last ten minutes. And therefore that was enough for me. And then I asked another question, what was the level of flexibility given in the numbers? International norms are telling us that we should be plus or minus fifteen percent from the number, meaning the equal number. This proposal was over twenty-five percent and so I immediately did not have any problem voicing my discontent with it. We can’t fool wiself. We can’t put a document that will not pass scrutiny and if we are doing that, then it’s irresponsible. And so that basically is – and not only myself, many others – that is in essence why we put out a statement saying that we have serious concerns – see they say it nicer than me.”

Duane Moody

“Sir does it then go back to the commission or it has to be tabled as is?”

Julius Espat

 “No it has to be tabled and it has to be debated in the House. And parliament will decide – whether they will accept it or not.”