Shyne Barrow Candidates Missing on Nomination Day has caused political uncertainty in Belize City. Melvin Hewlett (Fort George) and Dean Samuels (Pickstock) failed to appear, despite attending the candidate launch on Saturday.
Reliable reports indicate that Barrow’s secretariat was unable to reach them. Tracy Panton did not field candidates in these constituencies, and if no independent or third-party candidates are present, the current area representatives under the People’s United Party may win by default.
Shyne Barrow Candidates missing means that If unchallenged by any other party, the returning officer could declare the single candidates as winners today, shaping the political landscape ahead of the election in favor of the PUP.
Update:
Rule 2 (4) of the Election Rules, Schedule III to the Representation of the People Act states, “If at four o’clock in the afternoon only one candidate has been nominated for the seat to be filled the returning officer shall forthwith declare such candidate to have been elected, and shall immediately thereafter certify by endorsement on the writ of election the return of that candidate according to Form 20 of Schedule V and shall return the writ so endorsed to the Commission for transmission to the Governor-General within the time for that purpose specified therein.
Meaning there will be no elections in the Fort George and Pickstock constituencies on March 12. Both elected candidates, Ministers Anthony Mahler and Henry Charles Usher, enter their second terms in office.
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