National Independence Party (Belize)

Last updated
National Independence Party
Leader Herbert Fuller
Philip Goldson
Founded1 July 1958
Dissolved27 September 1973
Merger of Honduran Independence Party
National Party
Merged into United Democratic Party
Ideology Conservatism

The National Independence Party of Belize was a merger of two Belizean political parties that effectively served as the chief opposition party in Belize for practically all of its existence. It was formed in July 1958 and dissolved as part of the formation of the new United Democratic Party in 1973. [1]

Contents

Formation

The NIP was founded on July 1, 1958. Herbert Fuller was elected Leader and James Staines deputy. Other officers included: Chairman Jaime Staines, Secretary Phillip Goldson, Deputy Chairman Robert Reneau, Asst. Sec. Jeannette Buller, Treasurer C. L. B. Rogers and National Organizer Lindsay Burns. District branches were in place by April 1959, and the party gained representation in the Belize City Council in December 1958, when Fuller, Staines, Rogers and Claire Gill were elected, though Meighan and Floss Cassasola campaigned as independents and cut loose from the Party for their behaviour. Another spat came when the Benque Viejo branch set itself up as the Western Independent Party under Juan Gongora and sought affiliation with the NIP, which it agreed to. The NIP also participated in constitutional consultations with Sir Hilary Blood in 1959 and 1960.

Troubles

The NIP was seen as the heir of the National and Honduran Independence parties, and with the popularity of the PUP and the failure by the NIP to shake loose from elements that would have them return to their origins, the party began a run of disappointing performances that would become its main legacy.

March 1, 1961 general elections saw the NIP shut out of the House. Phillip Goldson was appointed by the Governor and subsequently assumed the post of Party Leader from Fuller, who died in March 1962. In the December 1962 City Council elections, the NIP began a run of complete shutouts that lasted until the UDP's 6-3 triumph in 1974. In the town board elections the NIP were more successful, winning two towns in 1963, five in 1966 (three outright), and sliding back to two towns in 1969 and San Ignacio only in 1972. General elections of 1965 and 1969 (in which the NIP collaborated with the breakaway PDM) saw Phillip Goldson retain both times and Edwin Morey earning a surprise victory in 1965.

With the party's loss of face and the frustrations of Belizeans evident, Goldson left to continue his education in the early 1970s and the NIP limped along until the younger, stronger PDM and Liberal Party merged with it to form the UDP in 1973.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colville Young</span> Governor-General of Belize during 1993–2021

Sir Colville Norbert Young is a Belizean politician who served as the second governor-general of Belize. He is also a patron of the Scout Association of Belize. He was appointed as the Governor-General in 1993, taking office on 17 November of that year, and was knighted in 1994.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">People's United Party</span> Political party in Belize

The People's United Party is one of two major political parties in Belize. It is currently the governing party of Belize after success in the 2020 Belizean general election, winning a majority of 26 seats out of 31 in the Belizean House of Representatives. It is a centre-left Christian democratic party. The party leader is Johnny Briceño, who currently serves as the Prime Minister of Belize.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manuel Esquivel</span> Belizean politician (1940–2022)

Sir Manuel Amadeo Esquivel was a Belizean politician. As leader of the United Democratic Party, he served as the second prime minister of Belize from 1984 to 1989, and then again from 1993 to 1998. His party's victory in 1984 was the first time an opposition party had won a general election in Belize.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elections in Belize</span>

Elections in Belize are the duly held elections held at various levels of government in the nation of Belize.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2003 Belizean general election</span>

General elections were held in Belize on 5 March 2003. Belizeans elected 29 members to the House of Representatives for a term of five years. The result was a victory for the ruling People's United Party (PUP), which won 22 of the 29 seats.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1998 Belizean general election</span>

General elections were held in Belize on 27 August 1998. The result was a victory for the People's United Party, which won 26 of the 29 seats and Said Musa was elected as Prime Minister for the first time. Voter turnout was 90%, the highest since independence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1993 Belizean general election</span>

General elections were held in Belize on 30 June 1993. Although the People's United Party received the most votes, the United Democratic Party–National Alliance for Belizean Rights alliance won the most seats. Voter turnout was 72.1%.

United Black Association for Development (UBAD) was a cultural and political party established in Belize in February 1969 and based on traditional Black Power tenets.

The National Alliance for Belizean Rights (NABR), formed as the Patriotic Alliance for Territorial Integrity, was a political party in Belize in the 1990s. The party colour was forest green.

The National Party of Belize (NP) was a political party established mainly to fight the anti-colonialist movement propagated by the People's United Party (PUP). It had only minimal success and was eventually deregistered.

The Honduran Independence Party was a short-lived 1950s political party in Belize. It was essentially a splinter group of the People's United Party (PUP).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1965 British Honduras general election</span>

General elections were held in British Honduras on 1 March 1965. Belizeans elected 18 members to the British Honduras Legislative Assembly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2008 Belizean general election</span>

General elections were held in Belize on 7 February 2008. Beginning with this election, Belizeans elected 31 members to the House of Representatives of Belize instead of 29. In what was considered an upset, the opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) won the election with 25 out of 31 seats; the ruling People's United Party won six.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philip Goldson</span> Belizean politician

Philip Stanley Wilberforce Goldson was a Belizean newspaper editor, activist and politician. He served in the House of Representatives of Belize as member for the Albert constituency from 1965 to 1998 and twice as a minister. Goldson was a founding member of both of Belize's current major political parties, the People's United Party (PUP) in the 1950s and the United Democratic Party (UDP) in the 1970s. He was also the leading spokesman of the hardline anti-Guatemalan territorial claims National Alliance for Belizean Rights party in the 1990s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albert (Belize House constituency)</span> Constituency in Belize

Albert is an electoral constituency in the Belize District of Belize.

Theodore Roosevelt "Ted" Aranda was a Belizean politician and Garifuna activist.

Leigh Richardson was a Honduran-born Belizean politician. Richardson served as the leader of the People's United Party in the 1950s, and also as mayor of Belize City.

Derek Aikman was a Belizean politician. He served in the Belize House of Representatives as an area representative for the Freetown constituency in the 1980s and early 1990s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 Belizean general election</span>

General elections were held in Belize on 11 November 2020 to elect the 31 members of the House of Representatives. Nomination day was 21 October.

References

  1. ↑ "Chronology And History Of Political Parties In Belize". Belize.com. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.