Belizean constitutional referendum, 2008

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A national referendum, the nation's first, was held in Belize on February 7, 2008, coinciding with the 2008 general elections.

Belize country in Central America

Belize is a country located on the eastern coast of Central America. Belize is bordered on the northwest by Mexico, on the east by the Caribbean Sea, and on the south and west by Guatemala. It has an area of 22,970 square kilometres (8,867 sq mi) and a population of 387,879 (2017). Its mainland is about 180 mi (290 km) long and 68 mi (110 km) wide. It has the lowest population and population density in Central America. The country's population growth rate of 1.87% per year (2015) is the second highest in the region and one of the highest in the Western Hemisphere.

Contents

The question asked was: "Should the Senate of Belize be elected?"

Background

Ever since independence from Great Britain in 1981, Belize has had its upper house appointed. Currently, there are 12 senators and a President.

An elected Senate, according to its proponents, would return the decision over control of the nation's resources and development to the Belizean people.

Discussion

Earlier in the year, Prime Minister Said Musa had given tacit support to the idea of an elected Senate, and eventually brought up the matter in session of the House of Representatives on December 19, 2007.

Said Musa Belizean politician

Said Wilbert Musa is a Belizean lawyer and politician. He was the Prime Minister of Belize from 28 August 1998 to 8 February 2008.

Musa introduced a bill to allow for a referendum, to be held in 2008 likely alongside the general elections, to determine Belizeans' thoughts on the issue. The Opposition, led by Dean Barrow, argued against going to a referendum on the basis that Belizeans had not been given enough time for discussion of the issue and charged that the governing People's United Party was trying to hijack the issue to gain votes at the general elections due in the first half of 2008. The PUP countered that the opposition United Democratic Party were on "the wrong side of history".

Dean Barrow Belizean politician

Dean Oliver Barrow is a Belizean politician who has been Prime Minister of Belize since 2008. He is also the leader of the United Democratic Party (UDP) since 1998. An attorney by trade, he served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1993 to 1998 and was Leader of the Opposition from 1998 until the UDP won the February 2008 election. Barrow started his first term as Prime Minister after victory in the 2008 election. He started his second term after the UDP again won an election on 7 March 2012. He started his third term when the UDP won again on 4 November, 2015.

Peoples United Party Belizean political party

The People's United Party (PUP) is one of two major political parties in Belize. It is currently the main opposition party with 12 of 31 seats in the House of Representatives. It is a centre-left Christian democratic party. The party leader is Johnny Briceño, who currently serves as Belize's Leader of the Opposition.

United Democratic Party (Belize) political party in Belize

The United Democratic Party (UDP) is one of the two major political parties in Belize. It is the ruling party, having won the 2008, 2012 and 2015 general elections. A centre-right conservative party, the UDP is led by Prime Minister of Belize Dean Barrow.

Announcement of referendum and reaction

Prime Minister of Belize Said Musa, on Monday January 7, 2008, announced that he had asked the Governor General, Sir Colville Young, to issue a writ of referendum to be held the same day as the general election. [1] There is precedent for multiple voting in Belize: the 2003 elections for general and municipal were held on the same day. In anticipation of the announcement the PUP had released ads condemning the UDP position and encouraging Belizeans to vote for them as well as to vote in favour of an elected Senate, linking the two together. The PUP released its proposal for an elected Senate on January 17. [2]

Colville Young Governor-General of Belize

Sir Colville Norbert Young is the Governor-General of Belize, and also patron of the Scout Association of Belize. He was appointed Governor-General in 1993, taking office on 17 November of that year, and was knighted in 1994.

The Opposition UDP announced on January 8 that it had asked its supporters to either boycott the poll or vote "no". [3] It trumpeted its alternate plan as a solution. Party leader Barrow amended the position later on by simply asking supporters to vote "no."

Reaction from the third parties was mixed. Even as many welcome the referendum, they are cautious about mixing it with the general election. Senator Godwin Hulse, Kevin Herrera and Henry Gordon of SPEAR have presented an alternate plan for the elected Senate as part of a list of reforms, to widespread discussion. [4]

Procedure

The referendum was held to the same procedures as a general election. All registered voters over 18 were eligible to participate. Separate places in the polling stations were provided for the referendum.

The voting for the referendum began at 7:00 AM CST (1300 UTC) on election day and finished at 6:00 PM CST (0000 UTC Friday). Counting of votes began at the various counting stations beginning after the counting of votes for the general elections and continuing until a simple majority was reached which declared support or dissent for the question.

Results

Map of the referendum, showing the constituencies where the majority voted yes (in Green) and where the majority voted no (in Red). Belize National Referendum 2008 - Results by Constituency.svg
Map of the referendum, showing the constituencies where the majority voted yes (in Green) and where the majority voted no (in Red).

The referendum passed with over 61 percent of the vote nationwide and won in 30 out of 31 constituencies. Only the Queen's Square constituency in Belize City voted against it. [5]

Belizean constitutional referendum, 2008
Choice Votes %
Yes check.svg Yes45,05761.54
No 26,793 36.6
Valid votes 71,850 98.14
Invalid or blank votes 1,363 1.86
Total votes73,213100.00
Registered voters and turnout 156,993 46.63

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References

  1. ↑ http://www.channel5belize.com/archive_detail_story.php?story_id=19955%5Bpermanent+dead+link%5D News 5, January 7, 2008
  2. ↑ http://www.channel5belize.com/archive_detail_story.php?story_id=20038%5Bpermanent+dead+link%5D News 5, January 17, 2008
  3. ↑ http://www.channel5belize.com/archive_detail_story.php?story_id=19964%5Bpermanent+dead+link%5D. News 5, January 8, 2008
  4. ↑ http://www.channel5belize.com/archive_detail_story.php?story_id=19974%5Bpermanent+dead+link%5D News 5, January 8, 2008
  5. ↑ Referendum Results 2008, Belize Elections and Boundaries Commission. (accessed 26 November 2014)
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