Dear Editor,
Belize has joined the list of countries that have chosen a new government over the last couple of years. Political change is refreshing and can serve as a deterrent to corrupt practices. Trinidad is the only other society in the region that has not experienced political change in its recent elections.
In Belize last week, Prime Minister Said Musa’s People’s United Party (PUP) was seeking a third consecutive five-year term of office and the electorate effectively said ten years in government was enough. The voters handed PUP a humiliating defeat of six seats to 25 seats for the opposition UDP. Only last month, Barbados BLP was seeking a fourth consecutive term and voters handed it a landslide defeat. As in Barbados, the clarion call in Belize was “change” and voters responded positively. Voters accepted Dean Barrow’s United Democratic Party.
Unlike in Guyana or Trinidad, governments regularly change in Barbados and Belize between the two dominant parties. Trinidad and Guyana are unique in that people vote “race”.
Voters recognise that once a party remains in office too long, it becomes arrogant and corrupt. Hence, the call for political change..
In Belize as in Barbados, there were problems with the way the countries were being ruled in the party’s last term in office. Owen Arthur and Musa became arrogant and questions were raised about corruption. Reports said that Musa governed in an autocratic fashion and his government was increasingly being portrayed as corrupt. As a Belize newspaper commented, “corruption carries a cost” and Musa paid it as he should and as every leader should. People want and should expect results from their governments, not looting of the treasury.
Another positive aspect of elections in Barbados, Belize, and other countries where governments changed hands, the leader of the party resigned to accept responsibility for the loss. That is a demonstration of political maturity. In Guyana and Trinidad that did not happen when the incumbent or the leader of the opposition lost office.
Yours faithfully,
Vishnu Bisram
