PM Commits to Completing Redistricting by End of 2026

For several years, the Government of Belize has promised to redistrict the country’s thirty-one constituencies to ensure each has a nearly equal number of voters, as outlined in the constitution. However, another year is ending without completing the exercise. Today, Prime Minister John Briceno reaffirmed the government’s commitment to redistrict, assuring that it will be completed by the end of 2026.

 

Prime Minister John Briceño

“It’s not as easy as it seems because we also have to amend the constitution. The constitution is not clear as to how many seats one. Secondly, is not clear. If you can get rid of a seat because of the redistricting, especially in Belize City, who has been well having more seats than should have based on its number of voters. But there’s also another important aspect of it, the constitution speaks to the number of people that live in the area, not necessarily that vote in the area. And so again, we have to have clarity in those things. And so that takes at a minimum of ninety days when we get to make that change. And so it’s something that will be done next year and it’ll be finished by the end of 2026.”