Belize’s Opposition Leader Shyne Barrow faces the specter of resigning his seat in the House of Representatives if found guilty of an electoral offence.
The case centers on Barrow’s voter registration in the Mesopotamia Division and has ignited a fiery debate.
The verdict looms
The Chief Magistrate will hand down her ruling on November 24, determining the fate of this high-stakes dispute initiated by the ruling People’s United Party (PUP).
The PUP is contending Barrow’s voter registration in the Mesopotamia Division.
Leading the charge for Shyne Barrow, attorney Richard Bradley invokes Section 58 of the Belize Constitution, stipulating that individuals convicted of election-related offenses face disqualification from parliamentary membership.
According to reports, Bradley maintains that his client adhered to all legal requisites for residency registration, substantiated by credible witnesses attesting to his presence at the disputed residence.
Residency vs. Political office
On the opposing side, the PUP, represented by attorney Leeroy Banner, disputes Barrow’s claimed residence. Banner argues that the address provided by Barrow corresponds to his political office and resource center, not his actual abode. This fundamental discrepancy lies at the crux of their case.
Bradley’s defense
Brushing off the PUP’s claims, Bradley confidently asserts, “The elections laws of the country and the Constitution of Belize lays down what would disqualify a person either from entering the nation’s Parliament which is referred to under law as the National Assembly or if you are already a member and if you are found to be in violation of any election law, election offence, that person will have to resign,” he said.
He draws parallels with past instances, highlighting that even former Prime Minister George Price was registered in his constituency despite residing elsewhere.
According to media reports, he further noted that the case originally came up for objection when the rolls for transfer were being revised.
“The objectors did not show. The chief magistrate waited for them for hours, they did not show. Now that the overall list is being revised, they have turned back up in an attempt to basically to psych out the Leader of the Opposition and to put him to some level of embarrassment because what they say has nothing to do with what the law requires,” Bradley said.
“The law is, did he reside at that address for a minimum of two months prior to July? That is what this issue is all about. There is nothing in the law to say. I can’t sleep somewhere else. I can’t spend the night with my sweetheart.
“Just as an example. I’m not saying that is what happened. I can’t go and spend some time with my wife somewhere else. I said to the Chief Honorable Chief Magistrate, after a person is added on the electoral roll, they can get up and go to United States of America.
“There’s no law that says you have to hang around. You must be there. The issue is, was he resident there? Can he still be resident there if he wanted to sleep there overnight? Can he do so? And the answer is a resounding yes,” Bradley added.
