Posted: Sunday, July 9, 2017. 7:19 am CST.
By Charles Leslie Jr.: Let’s face it: most of us know that Belize is pretty much in a state of failure..even the people who benefit handsomely from the system as it is, knows this.
More and more of us want and are calling for change, but we are ranting and railing and fighting people.
The reality is: Belize’s current politicians are simply a manifestation of a dysfunctional system.
“But, how?”
The system is our Constitution. It is the Supreme Law.
“But….HOW?” BY MAKING SPECIFIC DEMANDS.
“But, what specific demands?” Let’s focus on what is needed first before we can move to changing the ENTIRE SYSTEM to where it needs to be.
Fair and democratic elections: Look, Belize has not had a fair and democratic election for 20 years. Twist it as you will, the brutal fact remains that our voter’s list has not been cleaned for 20 years.
All elections since then: village, town, city, general, have all been a fraud. Period.
“But, what should I demand?!” You – all Belizeans – DEMAND RE-REGISTRATION NOW!. No need to listen to any debate from anyone. Re-registration is needed. It will make upcoming elections (closer to being) fair and democratic.
“Then what?”
Fair, proportional allocation of the nation’s resources: Belizeans, absolutely nothing in our nation’s SYSTEM has equity. As is, our Constitution gives the Prime Minister’s office – Price, Esquivel, Musa, Barrow, Rogers – the power to discriminate against Belizeans via the National Budget.
The PM can punish a constituency for not voting his/her party, by simply not giving the person who won as Area Representative, the resources he/she deserves to develop that constituency.
It gives the PM powers to completely circumvent democracy, by ‘appointing’ a Caretaker for that constituency, and anyone who needs assistance, needs to go begging on their hands and knees…and you also better show loyalty to the party in power…or else.
“So, what do I do?” DEMAND THE REMOVAL OF PROVISO TO SECTION 16 OF OUR CONSTITUTION AND DEMAND PROPORTIONAL BUDGETARY ALLOCATION.
“But, what will that do, really?”
Well, once the PM, whomever that person may be in the future, cannot arbitrarily decide how to spend our national financial resources, it will move us towards establishing equity.
If your constituency voted an 18-year-old just out of college into office, because he/she was charismatic, and most of all presented a very solid plan to develop your constituency, but he/she decided to run as an independent, it will not matter which party wins the majority, since each constituency will be guaranteed a proportional allocation of the nation’s resources.
That 18-year-old will stay in office and has the opportunity to become Prime Minister, based on his/her merit and integrity, not what political party he/she represents and is a member of.
Here is the bottom line: Power concedes nothing without a demand, as Frederick Douglass pointed out a long time ago.
In other words, if we do not make specific demands for a fair, just, balanced system, and if we are not persistent, and laser-focused…it will never happen. Period.
“What can I do right now?”
If they do not support having a country with: fair and democratic elections, and fair and equitable distribution of our nation’s resources…
you may want to reconsider your relationship with these people.
Start with these steps, in order:
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