By Omar Silva

Editor, National Perspective Bz DIGITAL 2024

www.nationalperspectivebz.com

Belize City, Thursday, 17 October 2024

The 2008 Constitutional Referendum, a pivotal moment in Belize's history, gave the people a clear voice on the issue of whether the Senate should be elected. Sixty-one percent of voters approved this proposal—an overwhelming mandate for change. Yet, despite this clear endorsement from the people, successive governments both UDP and the PUP have ignored this call, and we remain burdened with an appointed Senate that acts as a rubber stamp for the ruling party's agenda.

The recent Senate Special Select Committee Public Hearing on October 16, 2024, laid bare why this issue is more urgent than ever. Cabinet Secretary Stewart Leslie and Senator Christopher Coye, both appointed by the PUP, arrogantly walked out of the hearing, refusing to answer questions about the controversial Definitive Agreement. This blatant manipulation and disrespect show exactly why we cannot allow any other government to unilaterally appoint a Senate that will simply rubber-stamp backroom deals disguised as actions for the people of Belize.

This is not just a matter of political gamesmanship; it is a fundamental betrayal of the Belizean people's mandate from 2008. The current PUP administration, which once championed an elected Senate, has turned its back on the people's call for reform. We cannot continue to allow this abuse of power, where a handful of appointed individuals hold the keys to the nation’s future without accountability.

Belize must act now to ensure an elected Senate, one that represents the will of the people, not the whims of a few political elites. The time for excuses is over. The people's mandate has been ignored for too long. It’s time to honour that referendum and give Belizeans the Senate they deserve—elected by the people, for the people.

The behaviour exhibited by PUP officials during the recent Senate hearing underscores the risks of allowing an appointed body to operate as a mere extension of the government. Without an elected Senate, the possibility of unchecked executive power increases, leading to a lack of transparency and accountability, particularly when decisions are made behind closed doors, as we've seen in the case of the Definitive Agreement.