Turning to local politics, at today's PUP manifesto launch today, the press took the opportunity to talk with Kareem Musa for his take on the injunction push which the Belize Peace Movement is making to block the November 11th Elections.
The final objective of this citizen-group is to convince the Supreme Court to order the UDP government and Elections and Boundaries Commission to conduct a redistricting exercise before the General Elections. The Peace Movement says that Belizeans should not allow the political parties to benefit from the huge disparity in the sizes of the 31 electoral constituencies in the upcoming general elections. But, in order to hopefully have their case ventilated in the court, they will have to first convince the sitting judge to grant them an injunction restraining the holding of the elections, which only 3 weeks away.
Today, Kareem Musa told the press the Peace Movement made a miscalculation. They allowed the National Assembly to be dissolved, which means that a redistricting exercise cannot be done until a new government is formed. He explained:
Kareem Musa - PUP Area Rep, Caribbean Shores "The point remains when it comes to this particular case and they will soon realize that, I'm an attorney and so I can look at the law and give my own humble opinion, my own opinion on the matter but section 90 of the constitution clearly states that the elections and boundaries commission has from time to time the right to make proposals to the national assembly in order for us to have a redistricting. Why is it that the BPM waited until the national assembly was dissolved in order to apply for an injunction? It doesn't make no sense and so they, the BPM are looking for a scapegoat."
Reporter "They are looking for a date to be announced."
Kareem Musa "Who didn't know the date to be announced? It's every 5 years."
Reporter "Yes, but it can be delayed."
Kareem Musa "Yes but only for 3 months and you know that by February 12th, there had to be an election, you knew that, I knew that, the law says that, they knew that but if section 90 says that all you can do is make proposal to the national assembly, which is now dissolved, how is it that you can have a redistricting now, with the national assembly dissolved? They have to consider it, they have to vote on it, the national assembly has to vote on it in order for it to be approved. So, they sat on their rights, the BPM and now are blaming me and Dickie Bradley for them sitting on their rights, which is absolutely ridiculous, I feel bad for them."
