A group of former commissioners from the People’s Constitution Commission (PCC) have publicly dissociated themselves from the final report submitted to Prime Minister John Briceño. The group cites serious “procedural mismanagement of the process and violations”, “adherence with the consensus principle that does not exist in the law”, “inconsistent record keeping” and “bad faith management of the recommendation report.”
In a strongly worded letter dated May 19, 2025, and addressed to the Prime Minister, the commissioners expressed deep concern over what they described as a “bad faith” process led by PCC Chairman Anthony Chanona. The letter follows a previous communication on April 30, in which six commissioners had already raised alarms about procedural mismanagement and violations of the PCC Act.
The commissioners allege that:
The final report was never approved by a majority of the PCC.
They were not given access to the full report, only a visual presentation during a May 14 meeting.
Their written submissions and feedback were excluded from the final recommendations.
The process was dominated by a Technical Committee that included a former commissioner who was no longer legally eligible to serve.
“The recommendations now submitted fail to uphold the principles enshrined in the PCC Act,” the letter states.
Despite early successes in public engagement and education, the commissioners say the PCC struggled with direction and failed to maintain transparency and inclusivity in its final stages. They argue that the final report does not reflect the will of the people or the deliberations of the full commission.
The signatories, representing a diverse cross-section of Belizean civil society including the National Women’s Commission, the Belize National Teachers’ Union, the LGBT Substantive, and the Maya Councils have requested an urgent meeting with the Prime Minister before the end of May to further explain their objections.