And while a convention is one thing, what about the municipal election itself? Is it even safe to even have an election in March with COVID community spread very well established in so many parts of Belize?
After the November general election, 6 PUP candidates caught COVID - and one died, while one UDP candidate caught it.
Now, the PUP will say all those infections weren't caused by the election.
Today, both parties indicated that there's not even a thought of postponing the elections. Here's the UDP chairman:
Michael Peyrefitte, Senator
"I think you can have any event like that once you do it properly and safely. We as a government tried to tell everybody during that elections time, don't celebrate, don't congregate, follow the protocols. The pup decided when they won, they were celebrating, hugging, kissing each other, no mask, no protection, it comes as no surprise that some of them were infected and tragically one of them pass away. They didn't take any precautions because they figure they could turn their noses at the law, but in a proper election, like we did for example, none of our candidates or figures after the election had any serious bout of COVID or anything like that, why? Because we insisted as a party to take precaution so if there's a municipal election and we go to the polls on that day then we will make sure we take all the precautions necessary in a dangerous pandemic that we're facing. If the pup decide that they want to put it off fine, if they decide though to go on March for the municipal elections as planned, then we will be ready."
PUP Leader of Government Business in the Senate told us via text that he is not aware that there has been any consideration by the government to postpone the election but adds that maybe he may not be aware.
