Posted: Wednesday, February 5, 2025. 5:30 pm CST.
By Aaron Humes: Senior Counsel Anand Ramlogan, former Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago, is demanding urgent redistricting ahead of the upcoming general election. Representing a coalition of concerned voters—Jeremy Enriquez, Rudolph Norales, and Jessica Tulcey—Ramlogan argues that the existing electoral boundaries do not comply with Section 90 of the Belizean Constitution. He asserts that the significant disparities in voter populations among constituencies could render any election held under current conditions unconstitutional.
In response to his query as to whether Prime Minister John Briceño will either be announcing the date for general elections at Friday’s House meeting in Belmopan, or advising the Governor-General to dissolve the National Assembly on that date, the Courtenay Coye law firm which represents the Attorney General wrote back to say, “We are instructed to confirm that the Prime Minister will not be announcing the date for the next general election at its next sitting on [February 7], 2025 nor will he advise the Governor General to dissolve Parliament on the said date.”
In a detailed 14-page pre-action letter directed at the Attorney General, the Speaker of the House, and the Chairman of the Elections and Boundaries Commission, Ramlogan, of Freedom Law Chambers in San Fernando, warns that the Briceño administration’s inaction on redistricting is a violation of democratic principles. “Should the next election be held based on the existing boundaries, it is liable to be declared invalid and unconstitutional,” Ramlogan wrote.
Despite a proposed Representation of the People (Amendment) Bill intended to address the imbalance, the government has yet to pass any reforms, prolonging what Ramlogan describes as an artificial political status quo that favors the ruling party.
“The government’s failure to act on the recommendations of the Elections and Boundaries Commission is nothing less than a deliberate attempt to undermine democracy and the constitutional framework of Belize,” Ramlogan charged, characterizing the situation as “arbitrary, manifestly unfair, and highly irrational.”
Ramlogan insists that holding elections without a redistricting exercise would be a clear violation of the law. He indicates that if no satisfactory response is received from the government, he will seek a court declaration to halt elections based on the current electoral boundaries.
Ramlogan has stated he plans to initiate a claim within weeks, contingent on the government’s response.
The Belize PEACE Movement has a separate claim in the courts on the issue and recently hired Belizean-American attorney Sarah Jane Forman to represent them. That case is still in the management phase. Senior Counsel Eamon Courtenay from Courtenay Coye LLP has been retained to defend the AG’s Ministry and Senior Counsel Godfrey Smith of Marine Parade Law Chambers has been retained to defend the Elections and Boundaries Commission.
Advertise with the mоѕt vіѕіtеd nеwѕ ѕіtе іn Belize ~ We offer fully customizable and flexible digital marketing packages. Your content is delivered instantly to thousands of users in Belize and abroad! Contact us at mаrkеtіng@brеаkіngbеlіzеnеwѕ.соm or call us at 501-612-0315.
© 2025, BreakingBelizeNews.com. Content is copyrighted and requires written permission for reprinting in online or print media. Theft of content without permission/payment is punishable by law.
Comments
The post Former T&T Attorney General to lodge court action against Belizean government over electoral boundaries appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
Posted: Wednesday, February 5, 2025. 5:30 pm CST. By Aaron Humes: Senior Counsel Anand Ramlogan, former Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago, is demanding urgent redistricting
The post Former T&T Attorney General to lodge court action against Belizean government over electoral boundaries appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
