UDP Chairman: “We will be ready” for general elections

By Aaron Humes: Outgoing Prime Minister Dean Barrow confesses he has not thought about general elections due on or before November 13 as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic which, has taxed his energies.

Only the Prime Minister can advise the Governor General to dissolve Parliament before it expires on November 13, or set a date for election if Parliament is allowed to dissolve then.

Ask anyone in the UDP, Peyrefitte included, and they will tell you as he did that “Our focus right now is to make sure that Belizeans are safe and COVID-19 free that’s our focus. We have put politics on the back burner because the physical health of Belizeans and the health of the economy right now those are the two primary focuses that we have.”

But he also contends that the UDP will have a leader and be “battle-ready for the next elections… We believe that we have enough time to select a new leader, we believe we have enough time to get ready for the next general elections…”

A date has not been set for the five-way national convention at which February’s winner turned deposed, John Saldivar, takes on Patrick Faber, Wilfred Elrington, Dr. Omar Figueroa and Darrell Bradley. Meanwhile, Barrow continues as party leader and Prime Minister until he surrenders both positions.