BPM Reminds the Public To Push For Redistricting

The issue of redistricting remains in limbo, despite the Belize Peace Movement leading the charge. Last year the B.P.M. issued a consent order, requiring the Elections and Boundaries Commission to submit the recommendations for redistricting. However, this report still has not been submitted. The B.P.M. said that the call for redistricting is urgent as general elections are approaching and redistricting is necessary to meet constitutional standards of equity. Attorney Arthur Saldivar explained why the push for redistricting is of utmost importance.

 

Arthur Saldivar, Attorney, BPM Claimants

“The Elections and Boundaries did their exercise. We went into the consent order, and they said that they would dutifully put proposals to the National Assembly that  will be consistent with the near equal standard. And of course, what do we expect? Legitimately, we expect it would be near twenty percent or below. We would have been we had arguments and discussions amongst ourselves. If they go fifteen percent that would be fine. But here the elections and boundaries presented us with a thirty-five percent deviation far from what we expected. So we dutifully and rightfully, went to the court in an application to say, listen, this is not right. But we want the court to enforce our rights by from the concept of legitimate expectations.  And this is important because if the elections and boundaries is afforded leeway to do to pick any number they want, what will stop them next year from doing redivisioning? And then they’ll pick fifty percent next year or forty percent or say that 60 percent is fine. A person in Fort George can elect a representative to parliament with two thousand five hundred persons. And a person in Belmopan or Belize, Stand Creek West or Belize rural south must It’s not that you must take five times that number to elect one representative. That is not equality.  You don’t need any kind of math to do that kind of, uh, calculations. So, it is important that we don’t sit by and allow this to pass. Otherwise, what will stop a less benevolent government, a less benevolent group of people coming into the elections and boundaries to say that. Well, if thirty-five is good, then forty-five is good, then 55 is good, who will stop them? So we say that at this point in time, accepting thirty-five percent deviation will not bring justice to our case because certainly we’re, we’re cut short of the international standard, we’re cut short of the constitutional standard.”