Deputy PM Comments on Redistricting Exercise

Despite an order of the high Court, the Elections and Boundaries Commission has still not completed the redistricting of electoral divisions. The commission presented drafts to the litigants, known as the Belize PEACE Movement, late last year; however, they were not accepted. Deputy Prime Minister Cordel Hyde weighed in on the matter this week, saying that the process is ongoing and should be concluded soon.

Cordel Hyde, Deputy Prime Minister: “Yes but remember government is not the one that has to do that it’s the Elections and Boundaries Commission and we have been diligent in that regard. A lot of time, a lot of resources have been spent to get to where we got just that ultimately the product that was provided to the government was not acceptable to many in the government and outside the government. But I believe pretty soon that document will be tabled in the National Assembly because that’s a court order for us to table that document in the National Assembly and for parliamentarians to vote one way or the other.”

The PEACE Movement contends that the deviation threshold being used by the commission for redistricting does not meet the requirements set by the constitution or international standards.