By Belize Live News Staff: Minister of Public Service, Constitutional and Political Reform Henry Charles Usher has defended the government’s handling of the redistricting process, rejecting claims that the People’s United Party (PUP) has failed to act. Despite accusations from both political parties of delaying reforms for over a decade, Usher stated that the process has been complicated by outdated census data and constitutional requirements.
Usher emphasized that while a redistricting report was submitted last year, issues with the data have delayed further action. He pointed to inconsistencies in population data from the 2010 census and stated that this has hindered the Elections and Boundaries Commission’s ability to address disparities in constituency sizes.
“There is nothing in the Constitution that says how exactly they are supposed to remove a seat or even add a seat,” Usher said, explaining the challenges in proceeding with the redistricting process without updated and accurate data.
The government is expected to continue working on the redistricting process, which has yet to be completed.
