Redistricting Case Gets New Judge, Enriquez Wants Answers 

Jeremy Enriquez’s constitutional challenge over Belize’s electoral boundaries has been reassigned to a new judge, but the change has left questions about why Justice Tawanda Hondora was removed from the case.

According to a press release issued by Enriquez today, the Court Registrar confirmed the reassignment to Justice Sylvester in an email to his attorneys on September 30. The change came while Enriquez’s application seeking Hondora’s disqualification over alleged bias was still pending.

“The name on the Court’s portal changed without anyone informing us,” Enriquez said. “Had my attorney not written to the Registrar to enquire what had happened, we would not have known.” 

Enriquez’s legal team alleges that Hondora left his microphone on during a lunch break and was overheard discussing the case with another judge. They claim he made derogatory remarks about Enriquez and his lead attorney, Anand Ramlogan SC.

Hondora called the allegation “patently incorrect” in court. In a later ruling, he acknowledged speaking with Justice Nadine Nabbie during the break. He said he wanted a copy of her judgment in an elections and redistricting matter. Enriquez says that judgment was already before the court.

Enriquez has also filed a misconduct complaint with the Judicial and Legal Services Commission. He wants the Chief Justice to explain why Hondora was removed and what happens to his bias application.

“I believe a statement should have been issued with some form of explanation, rather than this being done like a thief in the night,” he said.

The substantive constitutional challenge argues that Belize’s electoral boundaries are outdated and produce significant differences in the number of voters represented by each constituency. The current boundaries were established in 2004, and the High Court previously acknowledged that there is broad consensus that they need updating.

Jerry Enriquez Pressures Elections Commission on Redistricting Delays