We're just over a month away from a general election - but all the basic ground rules for politics as usual have been rewritten by COVID 19.

And that will be most visible on Wednesday 21st October for nomination day. That's when political parties usually get to flex their mass party muscle and give a preview of the kind of support they have. But not this year. Today I went into the archive to look at what used to be and what will be this year:…

Nomination day, it's a political carnival: huge crowds, loud music, drunken revelry and dancing in the street, imperious kings, and commanding queens….everything you'd expect from a Carnival, but awash in red and blue, with all the combustion, and chaos of any mass party event.

It's a show that we've been covering for many years, especially in the city where we have followed political parties making their way to the CB Hyde building, thronged by supporters - each party eager to show mass party muscle and street dominance.

But this year, thanks to COVID there will be none of that….each of the 31 constituencies will be nominated at a different public buildings to avoid large social gathering.


- Fort George will be nominated at Holy Redeemer School,
- PICKSTOCK, will be nominated at Saint Luke Methodist School,
- CARIBBEAN SHORES, will be nominated at Edward P. Yorke High School,
- FREETOWN, will be nominated at All Saints Primary School,
- ALBERT, will be nominated at ACC, or the Anglican Cathedral College
- PORT LOYOLA at the Muslim Community Primary School,, MESOPOTAMIA, at Grace Primary School
- COLLET, at Gwen Lizarraga High School,
- LAKE INDEPENDENCE, at the St. Martins De Porres RC School,
- QUEEN'S SQUARE, at St. John's Anglican Primary School,
- BELIZE RURAL NORTH, at the Pancotto Primary School, Sand Hill Village, BELIZE RURAL SOUTH, at the San Pedro Town Council,
- BELIZE RURAL CENTRAL, at the Our Lady of the Way RC School, Ladyville Village,
- COROZAL NORTH, at Corozal Community College, San Andres Village,
- COROZAL SOUTH EAST at San Joaquin R.C School, San Joaquin Village,
- COROZAL BAY, at Corozal Civic Center,
- COROZAL SOUTH WEST, at the Libertad Methodist School, Libertad Village, Corozal District,
- ORANGE WALK NORTH, at the Orange Walk Magistrate's Court,
- ORANGE WALK EAST at the Orange Walk District Education Center,
- ORANGE WALK SOUTH, at the Banquitas House of Culture,
- ORANGE WALK CENTRAL at the La Inmaculada RC School Auditorium,
- CAYO NORTH, at the San Ignacio Magistrate's Court,
- CAYO NORTH EAST, at the Sacred Heart College Auditorium,
- CAYO WEST, at the Benque Viejo Town Board,
- CAYO CENTRAL, at the Santa Elena R.C. Primary School,
- CAYO SOUTH, at the Our Lady of Fatima R.C School, Roaring Creek Village,
- BELMOPAN, at the Belmopan Civic Center,
- DANGRIGA, at the Dangriga Town Council,
- STANN CREEK WEST, at the ITVET Building in, Hope Creek,
- TOLEDO WEST, at the Julian Cho Technical High School,
- And TOLEDO EAST, at the Punta Gorda Magistrate's Court,

And, at all those 31 public buildings, there will be no crowds allowed:

Chester Williams - Commissioner of Police
"It cannot be business as usual. We know that when nomination we always have this large groups. Each political party showing their political might going to the nomination center. Well this year they will not be able to do that. The police and the elections and boundaries commission would be working together to see how we can put in place the protocol that we would like to see the political parties follow on nomination day as well as on election day."