Belizeans concerned on absence of voters ID cards

BBN Staff: Belizeans are counting down to a historic decision day on which the public will vote whether or not to take Guatemala’s claim on Belize’s territory to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for a final resolution.

The national re-registration process is also still on-going.

However, with only 49 days left and the failure to distribute voters ID cards by Belize’s Elections and Boundaries department, many Belizeans are concerned that they may not be allowed to vote in the national referendum.

Former area representative, politician and historian, Hector Silva told BBN that for the first time in 68 years, he is without a voters ID card and he fears that he will be turned back at the polls for not having his voters ID card. Like many other Belizeans, Silva has re-registered but not obtained an ID card as yet.

“Everybody is disenfranchised. There are no voters at the moment, they are registered but they are not qualified voters until you have your ID card to prove that those pictures of yours on the folders are actually substantiated. The danger that I see is that people going to vote will be at the mercy of the officers because not even scrutineers are allowed. I am very concerned that there are thousands of people that cannot register because they are waiting for their birth certificate. This is something that is very contrary to our constitution,” Silva said.

Silva further explained that Belize’s constitution says that every Belizean citizen at the age of 18 has the right to be registered as a voter.

Silva says that he hopes that the situation is remedied before any referendum is held in Belize.

 

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