8867 Belize Peace Project opposes application by Election and Boundaries Chairman to strike out Redistricting case

Published by BBNTEAM at January 3, 2022

Tags

Posted: Monday, January 3, 2022. 3:14 pm CST.

By Aaron Humes: Representative of the claimants in the redistricting case ongoing in the Supreme Court, Hubert Enriquez, told Breaking Belize News this afternoon they will oppose an application by the Chairman of the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC), Oscar Sabido, to strike out the case.

The case, says Enriquez, is now about the court establishing that allowing electoral districts that are out of proportion in terms of their size and the voting population is unconstitutional, and a precedent for the future.

Sabido argues first that the claimants had failed to file witness statements when required to do so and second that the Elections and Boundaries Commission has set up the administrative machinery to carry out the Redistricting exercise and made an estimate of the funds required.

But Enriquez told us in the latter case that the “semblance of a plan” is not the same.

As for the former argument, the claimants say they filed on time despite technical glitches with the court’s new filing system. They also note importantly that the EBC rejected their offer in negotiations.

The PEACE Movement maintains that the current listing of electors as defined under Section 6 of the Representation of the Peoples Act, contravenes Section 90(1) of the Belize Constitution to the extent that any election held under that Schedule is ultra vires the constitution and therefore null and void, that both parties have condoned it for their own purposes and that it must end.

Advertise with the mоѕt vіѕіtеd nеwѕ ѕіtе іn Belize ~ We offer fully customizable and flexible digital marketing packages. Your content is delivered instantly to thousands of users in Belize and abroad! Contact us at mаrkеtіng@brеаkіngbеlіzеnеwѕ.соm or call us at 501-612-0315.