Photo: Denise ‘Sista B’ Barrow, Area Representative for Queen Square

Re-Division Task Force proposes axing Queen Square and Port Loyola

BELMOPAN, Mon. July 3, 2023

Recommendations contained in the report from the 6-member Re-Division Task Force presented to the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) on Thursday, June 29, were leaked that same day and confirmed Hon. Gilroy Usher’s fear that his Port Loyola division was being placed on the chopping block. The Task Force proposes the elimination of 2 divisions in the Belize District (Queen’s Square being the second), the splitting of two, and the creation of two new constituencies while others will be adjusted. In total, there would be 33 electoral divisions instead of the current 31. The divisions being split into two would be Belmopan and Stann Creek West. Replacing them would be Stann Creek North and Stann Creek South, and Belmopan East and Belmopan West. The new divisions would be Orange Walk South Central and Cayo North West. As to notable adjustments, Belize Rural South would be replaced with the name Ambergris Caye (with 8,021 voters instead of the current 9,371 as per the March 2023 voter statistics), and the division would be divested of Caye Caulker and St. George’s Caye, which would then be incorporated into Fort George along with a portion of Albert voters. Fort George, which would lose some voters to the Pickstock Division, would then have 4,681 voters instead of the current 2,243. Port Loyola would be subsumed by Collet and Albert.

The Commission is expected to meet this week to assess the recommendations from the Task Force and prepare its own recommendations that are to be presented to Parliament on or before Monday, July 17. Today, Monday, July 3, Hon. Gilroy Usher told Amandala that he is unaware of the leaked report and therefore cannot comment. On Friday, June 30, during an interview after the House Meeting, Prime Minister John Briceño also said he could not comment on the report. As had been previously explained by Minister for Constitutional and Political Reform, Hon. Henry Usher, the Commission is independent, with two UDP and two PUP members and a chairman. PM Briceño said what they must ensure is that “whatever re-districting is done is something that can stand the scrutiny of the courts. We have been clear. It’s not something that we can have our hands in. We do so indirectly – both the Government and the Opposition – because we have members on the Elections and Boundaries Commission, but that’s not something for the Cabinet to discuss.” As to Hon. Usher’s press release that “in fairness, the elimination of two divisions in the Belize District should begin with the smallest of the eight smallest divisions in the area, specifically Fort George, Mesopotamia, Queen’s Square, Albert, Collet, Freetown, Pickstock, and Caribbean Shores …” PM Briceño said he had spoken briefly to Hon. Usher about it and added, “I think that it was an error in judgment. It’s something that should not have been done. As I pointed out to him, that’s not something that we control. It is done through the Elections and Boundaries Commission, so I will leave it as that.” In the case of Philip Willoughby, the Opposition UDP’s candidate in Port Loyola, Party Leader Moses “Shyne” Barrow has said he has discussed other opportunities with him.
   
At Friday’s House Meeting, Barrow was prevented from speaking on the redistricting process on adjournment. The reason provided was that the matter is sub-judice, but Barrow retorted that it’s not because the parties arrived at a consent order which was then approved by the court. Barrow subsequently presented his objections to the media. He said they don’t object to the “mergers of contiguous constituencies, whether it’s Queen’s Square into Mesopotamia – as it rightfully should be – because Mesopotamia was there in 1961; Fort George was there in 1961, and Caribbean Shores came about in 1984. What is fair, what is keeping with the consent order that the courts decided on is to have equal representation, and equal representation should not come at the risk of gerrymandering – transplanting voters from Caye Caulker into Fort George. Voters from across the Belizean river in Alberts into Fort George to dilute the Fort George vote.” Barrow doubled down on his affirmation that Fort George should be axed. However, he corrected that there was an erroneous takeaway from his position after his last press briefing. He said his argument was not based on the fact that Fort George has one of the smallest voting populations as does his own. He explained, “all the constituencies that are not at the mark, need to merge with other constituencies … I believe that the constituencies that were there since 1961 should stay. So, Fort George should stay. Caribbean Shores is what needs to go. But the reason I attack Fort George is because he will have to yield to Musa because Musa – Kareem Musa – runs the Musa dynasty.” Barrow expressed that it is a disservice to move people from Belize Rural South into Fort George “all to save the Musa dynasty.”

Asked pointedly on Friday whether he is prepared to retire out of politics or step aside as a result of the re-divisioning process – which would be the fate of some politicians – Fort George Area Representative, Hon. Henry Usher, who is also the Chairman of the ruling People’s United Party questioned, “You want me to retire so young?” He said it’s important first to see what is being proposed by the Task Force, as previous redistricting exercises have led to addition of seats and changing of boundaries. As to whether they are jumping through hoops to have Fort George remain, Usher declared that “the size of Belize Rural South mandates that some change happen. Either way, it has to go into or be subsumed by another constituency. Why? Because it’s too small to be a constituency on its own.” As to the possibility of Belize Rural South, which according to the March 2023 voter statistics has 9,371 voters, being split into two, Usher responded, “there are parameters that the Commission set for the Task Force, and there will be certain areas where you will have going outside the median and the spread. Why? Because you have to look at all the factors. You just don’t look at numbers. And I think that’s the mistake the media is making. They’re just taking the total number of voters and say ‘let’s divide it up and make it equal across the board.’ But there are so many other factors you look at. You look at geography; you look at the natural boundaries. You look at the fact that Ambergris Caye is so far away from the rest of the country, that to put that in or to even divide it up the way it is right now would not be feasible because of the way it’s situated, the way the voters are registered. So, all of those factors have to be looked at. What is important is that there is effective representation and every Belizean citizen is properly represented here in the National Assembly.”