United Democratic Party calls on Elections and Boundaries Department to revoke cancellation of Concepcion Village Council by-election

UDP celebrating winning Concepcion Village Chairmanship on December 10 – Photo Credit: UDP

By Rubén Morales Iglesias: The United Democratic Party on Thursday called on the Elections and Boundaries Department to immediately review and possibly revoke its announced cancellation of Concepcion Village Council by-election.

Concepcion is a village in the Corozal Southwest Constituency.

In a one-paragraph press release, the Elections and Boundaries Department on Wednesday advised Concepcion Village residents that the nominations and by-election for the vacant post of Member of the Concepcion Village Council scheduled for Sunday, January 7, 2024, and Sunday, January 14, 2024, respectively, had been cancelled.

“The United Democratic Party is of the firm view that the decision is legally erroneous and intends to challenge the decision in court if necessary,” United Democratic Party Chairman Michael Peyrefitte wrote in a letter to Chief Elections Officer Josephine Tamai.

The UDP letter noted that the January Nomination and By-Election had been called after Concepcion Village Council member Rosalva Rocsana Moh resigned on November 8, 2023.

“Having lost her bid for the post of Chairperson in the December 10, 2023 By-Election, Mrs. Moh, by way of correspondence dated December 12, 2023, rescinded her resignation expecting to continue in the member position from which she resigned a month and 4 days earlier consequently resulting in the Elections & Boundaries Department, erroneously in the opinion of the United Democratic Party, announcing the cancellation of the scheduled Nomination and By-Election by way of an undated press release issued on Wednesday, December 27, 2023,” Peyrefitte wrote.

The United Democratic Party’s letter urged the Elections and Boundaries Department to proceed with the conduct of the Nomination and the By-Election as had been planned and officially announced.