Carolyn Trench-Sandiford | |
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![]() Trench-Sandiford in 2023 | |
President of the Belize Senate | |
Assumed office 11 December 2020 | |
Prime Minister | Johnny Briceño |
Preceded by | Darrell Bradley |
Personal details | |
Born | 1962 Belize City,Belize |
Political party | People's United Party |
Alma mater | University of Technology,Jamaica University of London |
Carolyn Trench-Sandiford (born 1962 [1] ) is a Belizean urban planner and politician who has served as the president of the Senate since December 2020. [1] She is a member of the People's United Party.
Trench-Sandiford was born in Belize City. [2] She studied Physical Planning and Environmental Resource Management at the University of Technology,Jamaica and Law at the University of London. [3] She undertook a Masters in Environmental Law and Management at Aberystwyth University in Wales with a scholarship from the Protected Areas Conservation Trust. [3] [4]
Trench-Sandiford is an urban planner and is CEO of her own firm. [5] She served as President of the Belize Planners Association from 2016 until December 2020. [6] [7] She was co-convenor of the Caribbean Planners Association, [5] was recognised as a United Nations global evaluation expert and was named by The Planner as one of its "Women of Influence" in 2018. [5]
Trench-Sandiford was known as a "social advocate, [8] speaking out for the constitutional rights of vulnerable and marginalized groupings of people and communities. [9] and on domestic violence. [10] On the anniversaries of Belize's independence in 2014 and 2016,she published articles called "Quo Vadis Belize? Where are we going Belize?" outlining her understanding of the country's needs to move forward. [11]
Trench-Sandford is a member of the People's United Party and served as party chair from 2010 [12] [13] as well as one of its Deputy Leaders for a time. [14] [15] [16] In 2006 she was nominated as a candidate for the party in both the Collet Division and Belize City Council. [17] [6] [18] She was defeated by the UDP's Patrick Faber in both the 2008 and 2012 general elections. [17]
Trench-Sandiford was selected and sworn in as President of the Senate on 11 December 2020. [19] [20]