Belize Peace Movement Concerned

In December of last year, the Belize Peace Movement got the High Court to issue a consent order, requiring the Elections and Boundaries Commission to submit to the claimants a report with recommendations. Those recommendations have to do with how the redistricting process will be carried out. But the report has not yet been tabled for debate at the National Assembly, and today the Belize Peace Movement’s attorney, Arthur Saldivar, said they are concerned.

 

Arthur Saldivar, Attorney for Belize Peace Movement

“In terms of whether or not that proposal is one capable of addressing the malapportionment that was originally sought to be addressed, it falls woefully short. It is a joke. And I do believe that this is why the government is even embarrassed to even bring it to a debate because it will be thoroughly exposed for what it is – 100% exercise in gerrymandering where you’re talking about bringing people from Caye Caulker and making them a part of a constituency in Belize City, when you’re talking about leaving all of these constituencies in Belize City that are now obsolete, obscure in relation to their numbers, it is certainly something to be said in terms of seriousness or the lack thereof, of the administration in doing what is necessary to ensure that the democracy is given a fair chance of operating the way it should, but not only that. It is telling every person in this country who is of a mind to do things against the law, that you have a government that supports you. The Order was negotiated in good faith between both parties and it was signed off on. Where it has signed off on, there is a legitimate expectation that what was agreed upon will be carried through. In the least, you can debate that nonsense that is tabled before the National Assembly, vote it down and let the Elections and Boundaries be put back to do a proper job. But doing nothing is basically signing off on an unconstitutional state of affairs which will not bring about a legitimate government if an election is called. And I’m hearing this nonsense that there needs to be this census done before we get to do..”

 

Reporter

“It would have been better to have the data from that available.”

 

Arthur Saldivar

“Nonsense. You have already done a re-registration exercise. When it comes to the electorate and the re-divisioning of constituencies, it has nothing to do with the general population, It has everything to do with the voting population.”