Photo: People’s Constitution Commission education and consultation launch

by Kristen Ku

BELIZE CITY, Thurs. June 22, 2023

Recent data shows that approximately 98% of Belize’s population have little or no knowledge of their national Constitution, with the vast majority never having read it. The People’s Constitution Commission (PCC) is thus aiming to carry out an extensive campaign to make the populace more familiar with the country’s laws before engaging in the process of consultation with the people of Belize that must take place before the commission makes recommendations about how to update Belize’s Constitution.

On Wednesday, June 21, they launched the Education and Consultation Program at an event held at the Biltmore Plaza Hotel in Belize City, under the theme “Dis da fu we Constitution!”

Zone leaders and deputy leaders from all across the country who will be spearheading the campaign in specific parts of the country were present at the launch. Also in attendance was the Mayor of Belize City, His Worship Bernard Wagner; the Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Technology, Dian Maheia; Chairman of the PCC, Anthony Chanona; the secretary of the PCC, Cesar Ross; and chairman of the Statistical Institute of Belize (SIB), Phillip Tate.

Divided into thirteen parts, The Constitution of Belize represents this country’s supreme laws, and though it was signed back in 1981, 42 years ago, statistics indicate that only about 2% of the population have read it.

“Our Constitution has served as a cornerstone of our democracy for over four decades. And it is a living document that must adapt and must evolve with the times. It is a reflection of our collective identity and the principles upon which our nation was built,” stated Mayor Wagner at the ceremony. He further noted, “Over the course of the coming months, the PCC will embark on a journey that will shape the future of our nation. They will engage in extensive consultations with individuals, with communities across Belize, providing every citizen the opportunity to contribute their thoughts, opinions, and ideas for constitutional reform.”

But with the majority of Belizeans still in the dark about their Constitution, especially given the length of the document itself, the PCC has been actively working to condense the constitution into not only one, but three booklets that summarize its contents, making it more accessible and comprehensible to its readers.

The booklets include, “A Guide to the Belize Constitution”, “The Fundamental Rights of the People of Belize”, and “A Brief Summary of the Belize Constitution”, which were written by attorney-at-law Richard “Dickie” Bradley, in collaboration with the PCC and its secretariat.

The event also marked the signing of four significant Memoranda of Understanding with various organizations, such as the Ministry of Education, the Statistical Institute of Belize, the Diaspora, and the Reporter newspaper.

This strategic move allows the PCC to access databases and collaborate with teachers and students, amplify international coverage, and gain access to statistical data.

Chairman Chanona told local reporters, “This agreement, we not only tap into that database and that knowledge, but it gives us coverage into several areas beyond the United States of America, including Europe, Latin America, South America. It also gives us the authenticity of tapping into the database for the Statistical Institute of Belize and now also with the Ministry of Education. The ministry has a database of over six thousand teachers that have to develop these curricula. We get to feed into our programs and these activities that then go into the school system.”

Chanona noted a specific focus on engaging Belize’s youth. He said, “I believe that when we start talking to the people, especially the young people, I have great expectations. Because we are going to interface with the Ministry of Education and have access to all that database, when these young people start to wrap their minds around apps, debates, essays, poster competitions, logo competitions, you’re going to see the energy released from sixty-two percent of our population twenty-five years and younger.”

As Belize prepares for the festive month of September, also designated as Constitution Month, the event concluded with the debut of a theme song encapsulating the importance of civic pride and legal literacy. The punta/soca melody, composed and performed by Belize’s Supa G and soca queen Ernestine Carballo, is set to be released to the public in the upcoming weeks.