General Elections 2025: An Election Like No Other

In 6 days, on March 12, more than 204378 registered voters (as of January 2025) will head to the polls to decide which party will form the next government.

Ninety political candidates were officially nominated, representing 6 political parties and 4 independents.

The ongoing rift in the opposition, the United Democratic Party (UDP) has led the Election and Boundaries Department to recognise 41 candidates across 31 constituencies. This is the first time in Belize’s history that voters in several constituencies will have the option to choose two candidates, and in some cases, three candidates, under the UDP banner.

This is only one of the factors that makes this election not only unique but also historical.

The 2020 Shift in Power

On February 11, Prime Minister John Briceño and Leader of the People’s United Party (PUP) officially announced the date of the election. March 12 is 244 days away from the end of Briceño’s five-year term.

His tenure began after leading the PUP to a decisive victory in November 2020, defeating the UDP led by Patrick Faber.

A total of 149,650 votes were cast in the election, representing a voter turnout of 81.86%. The PUP secured the majority with 88,040 votes, accounting for 58.83% of the total. The UDP received 57,374 votes, making up 38.34%. The Belize Progressive Party (BPP) secured 548 votes (0.37%), the Belize People’s Front (BBF) received 820 votes (0.55%), and independent candidates collectively garnered 924 votes (0.62%).

The PUP secured 26 seats in the House of Representatives, while the UDP hung on to 5 seats.

The Rise of the Honourable Dr. Moses “Shyne” Barrow

Moses Michael Levi Barrow, known as Shyne, was born on November 8, 1978, in Belize City and moved to Brooklyn, New York, in his youth. Rising to fame in the late 1990s, he signed with Sean “Diddy” Combs’ Bad Boy Records and released his debut album in 2000, which went gold. However, in 1999, Shyne was involved in a nightclub shooting with Combs and Jennifer Lopez, leading to his conviction on charges of assault and weapon possession in 2001. He served eight and a half years of a 10-year sentence, during which he converted to Orthodox Judaism and changed his name in 2006.

After his release, Shyne was deported to Belize, embracing his heritage and pursuing a political career. In 2010, he was appointed Belize’s Music and Goodwill Ambassador by his father then Prime Minster, Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow, promoting the country’s culture and youth initiatives. Shyne’s political involvement deepened over the years; in the 2020 general elections, he took over his uncle’s, Michael Finnegan, constituency and secured a seat in the House of Representatives for Mesopotamia as a member of the United Democratic Party (UDP). Barrow defeated the PUP’s Dr. Candice Pitts for the Mesopotamia. Barrow secured 910 votes (53.06%), while Dr. Pitts received 751 votes (43.79%).

In June 2021, he became the Leader of the Opposition after the UDP’s Central Executive Committee met to set a date for a recall convention to determine the then Opposition leader Patrick Faber’s fate. This followed weeks of scandal surrounding Faber, which led three opposition parliamentarians, including Shyne, to inform Governor General Froyla Tzalam that Faber no longer had their confidence as Leader of the Opposition. As a result, Barrow was sworn in as the new Leader of the Opposition, marking the first successful step in removing Faber. However, Faber would then survive the recall and return as Leader of the Opposition. Then, in January 2022, Faber’s fiancée reported to the Domestic Violence Unit that Faber had damaged her laptop and assaulted her as she was about to leave their home. This led to the police issuing a warrant for his arrest. Although she later withdrew her complaint, describing the situation as a “misunderstanding” and expressing the couple’s intent to resolve the matter privately, there were growing calls for Faber’s resignation from various quarters, including the Special Envoy for Families and Children, Rossana Briceño, and UDP Chairman Michael Peyrefitte. Under mounting pressure, Faber announced his resignation as both Leader of the Opposition and Shyne assumed the role of Leader of the Opposition – for the second time.

 

During a House debate on domestic violence, Barrow acknowledged his own past allegations of domestic violence involving a previous partner. He expressed deep remorse, stating, “I myself have been accused, and it is not something that I take lightly.” He apologised to his wife, daughter, mother, mother-in-law, and supporters.

His rise to political prominence was portrayed in the documentary ‘The Honourable Shyne.’ The documentary debuted in the U.S. and was screened for Belizean audiences on November 23, 2024, in Belize City. Barrow described the film as “a Belizean success story, a global success story,” but insisted it was not a political campaign tool. “I don’t believe that the documentary is campaigning for me to be the next Prime Minister.” However, when asked about a possible sequel, he said, “The part two is me being the prime minister of Belize.”

While the documentary gained attention and debuted at #1 on Hulu, a political story of a different story was unfolding. In October 2024, Tracy Panton founded the Alliance for Democracy (AFD) within the UDP and held a “unity convention.” This is after she and others were deemed “constructively resigned” by the UDP Executive Committee led by Leader of the Opposition, Barrow.

Panton maintains that she has not resigned and claimed that this convention resulted in her being elected as the new leader of the UDP. Five months later, a series of legal disputes over the party’s leadership has unfolded for public scrutiny.

This year’s general elections will feature Briceño at the helm of the PUP, while the UDP enters the race with a divided front—two leaders, Barrow and Tracy Panton, both staking their claim to the party’s leadership.

The UDP Fractures Ahead of Election Year

The UDP is currently embroiled in a significant internal conflict that threatens prospects in the upcoming elections. This dispute centres around leadership legitimacy, control of party assets, and divergent visions for the party’s future.

On October 20, 2024, a convention was convened by the Alliance for Democracy faction within the UDP, resulting in the election of Tracy Taegar-Panton as the party’s new leader. This move was met with resistance from Barrow, who continues to claim to be the legitimate leader of the party. Barrow dismissed the convention as unlawful, asserting that Panton and other involved members, including Patrick Faber, were no longer part of the UDP due to their rejection of the party’s anti-corruption and political reform agenda under his leadership.

The leadership dispute escalated when Panton’s faction occupied the UDP’s Belize City headquarters. On October 28, 2024, they took control of the building, citing authorisation from Philippa Griffith Bailey, a former UDP Secretary General and alleged trustee of the property. Barrow’s camp disputed this claim, questioning Bailey’s authority and labelling the occupation as criminal. They reported the incident to the Belize Police Department, expressing concerns over the legality of the takeover.

Barrow accused the Alliance for Democracy of attempting to mislead the public by using the UDP’s logo and name without authorisation. Barrow took the matter to court, and in November 2024, Barrow successfully secured an interim injunction to reclaim the UDP headquarters. In his interpretation, Barrow said that the court established his faction to be the true leadership of the party. In February 2025, the court clarified that the November ruling applied solely to the possession of the UDP headquarters on Youth for the Future Drive in Belize City and not to the leadership dispute.

According to Panton, there were several attempts on her side to mediate with Barrow. She said, “Shyne Barrow has no interest in sitting and talking, has no interest in finding a solution for the United Democratic Party, and he certainly doesn’t have any interest in us to make our strongest case for the Belizean people to become the next government.”

This has led the leadership dispute to see no progress, with the court now setting a date to resolve this dispute until after election day. Panton and Barrow’s attorney must prepare a trial bundle, including pleadings, relevant documents, and submissions, by 14 March 2025. Oral submissions are scheduled for March 31.

Panton is now operating from a new UDP headquarters in the Mesopotamia Division in Belize City. The building is owned by a candidate running for that constituency under her leadership—Lee Mark Chang. Chang’s candidacy seems aimed at unseating Barrow. During the unveiling of candidates running under Panton’s UDP leadership, Chang said, “When I fight, I don’t fight to lose; you could ask any one of my opponents. I don’t fight to lose. I fight to win, and I don’t come here as a spoiler. I come to win the division and take care of the people. I believe the people of Mesop want the seat to stay for the UDP, but they cannot support that individual, Mr. Shyne Barrow.”

PUP Wins Two Seats Before Elections

Nomination day was a historic day as two PUP candidates were declared winners in their constituencies, 16 days ahead of the general election. Fort George Area Representative Henry Charles Usher held onto his seat in the House of Representatives after his opponent, Melvin Hewlett, didn’t show up. Over in Pickstock, Anthony Mahler, who drew a huge crowd during the morning parade, also secured another five years in parliament after his opponent, Dean Samuels, failed to show up for his nomination, despite attending the UDP’s march to the Civic Centre. Both UDP candidates are supporters of Barrow.

By the end of the day, the Election and Boundaries Department confirmed a total of 90 nominations, with 31 from the PUP and 41 from the UDP.

Two UDPs- One election – What will the ballot look like?

With political campaigning in full force from the blue side and the two factions of the red side, what will the ballot look like on March 12?

Two days after nomination day, the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) issued a statement addressing concerns, particularly from UDP supporters. The EBC announced that, following a 4-1 vote, it had decided to allocate the traditional red colour to all 41 candidates nominated under the UDP banner. This decision came despite efforts by Moses Barrow to block it. In an interview prior to the EBC’s ruling, Barrow had threatened legal action against the commission. “We are waiting for the official decision of the commission, and then we will proceed with civil action if the decision is not fit. The election and boundaries have no right to recognise anybody who claims to be a UDP when we have sent them an official list of who the UDP are when all that will do is cause confusion in the constituencies,” he said.

Meanwhile, Panton supported the EBC’s decision, stating, “I think it is a fair decision,” adding that “there will be no symbols as I understand it—it is the colour red.”

Legal Challenge Filed to Halt General Elections

Meanwhile, a legal challenge looms over the electoral process. Trinidad and Tobago Attorney General Anand Ramlogan is facing intense scrutiny in Belize following his handling of a constitutional claim aimed at halting the country’s upcoming March 12 general election. Representing three citizens—Jeremy Enriquez, Rudolph Norales, and Jessica Tulcey—Ramlogan sought to challenge the constitutionality of Belize’s electoral boundaries. The case was dismissed on February 18 after concerns were raised about procedural irregularities. They argue that proceeding with elections under the current boundaries would be unconstitutional and infringe upon voters’ rights to fair representation. The High Court dismissed Enriquez’s application for interim relief, citing insufficient legal grounds for his claim.

Justice Tawanda Hondora, who presided over the case, raised red flags over the use of digitally superimposed signatures on affidavits and exhibits submitted by Ramlogan’s clients. “There is more than a whiff that someone was given digital copies of the deponent’s and the Commissioner’s signatures,” Hondora noted. The judge questioned who authorised the use of these digital signatures and ordered Ramlogan to provide further explanations. Additionally, Enriquez’s filings were criticised for being overly lengthy and resembling legal arguments rather than standard court documents. Senior Counsel Anand Ramlogan was directed to clarify his legal practice arrangements in Belize and provide details about how documents were prepared and submitted. Senior Counsel Eamon Courtenay criticised Ramlogan, stating, “Jerry has been writing about this for years, but you can’t wait until 2025, just before the election is called, and say, “I want to go to court now… I think the judge felt that there was too much of a delay here.”

Despite losing his case against the government at the High Court, Enriquez filed an appeal to block the March 12 general election. A virtual case management hearing was held on Monday to set dates for filing affidavits and responses, with the court yet to schedule a hearing. Ramlogan filed an appeal to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), which denied the application for special leave to appeal.

The government’s failure to implement redistricting reforms has raised concerns about potential voter disenfranchisement and the legitimacy of the upcoming elections. Legal experts warn that holding elections under the existing boundaries could lead to a constitutional crisis, with possible invalidation of election results and political uncertainty.

Decision 2025: Show Out or Blowout

Channel 5 Belize is gearing up for comprehensive coverage of Belize’s general elections on March 12, 2025, with the theme “Decision 2025: Show Out or Blowout.” The programming will offer pre-election features, voter perspectives, expert commentary, and live updates during Election Day. Viewers can expect in-depth analysis of key issues like the economy, governance, and national security, as well as real-time election results and post-election breakdowns. Channel 5 promises to deliver the most trusted and engaging election coverage. Join us on Facebook and Youtube.