DPM Cordel Hyde Acknowledges Need for Redistricting

Deputy Prime Minister Cordel Hyde has conceded that the redistricting exercise for the country is inevitable.  His comments came yesterday as he spoke on the continuous expansion of the Lake Independence division and the sharp increase in registered voters.  According to the Elections and Boundaries Department, the Lake I Division had 4,863 registered voters in the 2020 elections.  Fast forward to the 2025 elections, and the division now has 6,807 registered voters.

Cordel Hyde, PUP Standard Bearer, Lake Independence: “We’ve grown from 5,000 voters in November of 2020 to over 6,800 now. Can you imagine that? So we’re really growing by leaps and bounds but our division is the only division that has some room to grow, right? So we just have to do our best, try to share ourselves the best we can.”

Reporter: So with that said, how do you feel about redistricting? 

Cordel Hyde, PUP Standard Bearer, Lake Independence: “Well, you know, that’s a must. You know, I think that has to be done at some point to make it fair, to make it more equitable for everybody. How you get that done is another question. You know, I know there’s been a stab at it. That didn’t work out because, you know, it didn’t meet the criteria that a lot of people expected. And so they have to do it again. When exactly they’re going to do it again, I’m not sure, you know. But ultimately, it has to be done. I think the people want that. But right now, we’re getting ready for an election, man.”

Another national issue that DPM Hyde spoke on was the PUP’s undertaking of land distribution.  He noted that while there may be some who did not get their land needs addressed, he looks forward to another term to finish what was started.  Hyde indicated that with all the work done over the four years, the government’s unfinished business is not intentional.  

Cordel Hyde, PUP Standard Bearer, Lake Independence: “We’re going correct but we’re not there yet. You know, we’ve done a lot of great things. We’ve provided a lot of housing lots. We’ve provided a lot of free education. We’ve provided a lot of cement houses. We’ve provided a lot of NHI. We’ve provided a lot of jobs. But our job is not complete. As long as there are people who don’t have land, as long as there are people who don’t have health care, as long as there are people who don’t have decent housing, as long as there are people who can’t send their children to school, our job is incomplete. And so this is what this election is about. It’s about trajectory. It’s about direction. It’s about making sure that we go in the right direction and we focus on the things that are important. And the things that are important is making sure that we take care of people who need our help the most. And your job is never done in this business it’s never done no matter how much you do there’s always more to do and we are very cognizant of that and so it’s about pushing hard from now until elections and beyond if we are successful to make sure that we take care of those people to the best of our ability.”

DPM Hyde was interviewed yesterday at the PUP’s National Convention