Opposition Leader Accuses Government of Neglecting Redistricting Efforts

Prime Minister John Briceno has confirmed that the redistricting exercise would not be done before the general election.  Just last month, we reported that the Belize Peace Movement was taking the government to court in hopes of forcing a redistricting exercise before the general election.  The group believes that while the report has been tabled in the house, the government is intentionally dragging its feet. Not taking a victory for granted in the next election, Prime Minister noted that the draft redistricting report was inadequate but it is hope that the next administration would treat it with urgency.  

John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize: “Well quite likely that yes I don’t know the details but yes I don’t think that was filed properly but more importantly we have to be also practical whilst I firmly believe that there must be redistricting unfortunately it’s still in the National Assembly. Until that comes out from there then you can have the real proceed with it. But the truth of the matter is that elections is upon us and I don’t think we would have enough time to do the proper delineation and the lists and having the different representatives to be able to know who is going to be in their area or not. So it’s something that I will definitely give special and urgent attention if we’re given the opportunity to form then next government.”

The government is being represented in the matter by Senior Counsels Eamon Courtenay and Godfrey Smith.

And while the Prime Minister says that not holding the redistricting exercise was a matter of time, Leader of the Opposition Moses “Shyne” Barrow says that it was a matter of will. At his press conference today, Barrow accused the Briceno administration of having no desire to hold the exercise. He chided the Prime Minister for going back on his word by not ensuring that redistricting was done under his watch. Barrow says the UDP is in full support of the Belize PEACE Movement’s call for redistricting. 

Moses “Shyne” Barrow, Leader of the Opposition: “The opposition, the United Democratic Party supports the BPM. We continue to support the like-minded stakeholders that believe redistricting should take place before the general elections and that we believe the actions of the government have been unconstitutional and the government did not want to solve the matter of redistricting. And they will not solve it, heaven forbid they should get re-elected. The UDP commits to ensuring that redistricting takes place during our administration, should we be fortunately elected.”

We note that the Belize PEACE Movement first took the matter to court back in 2019, when the UDP was the government of the day.