A little over six months in
office and the governing United Democratic Party is at war. This war is not
being waged against previously declared enemies like the PUP or
Ashcroft-affiliated companies or even the country’s productive sector. The UDP
is at war with itself.
“We, the United Democratic Party,
do hereby pledge to offer shares in a National Oil Company to ordinary
Belizeans so that the masses of the people can collect dividends and have a
personal stake in the national petroleum wealth.”- UDP Election Pledge,
January 8, 2008
Persons elected to the House of
Representative from the thirty one constituencies in our country are required
to conduct themselves within certain prescribed standards.Section 58 of the Belize Constitution
describes those conditions necessary for the removal of elected
Representatives. The circumstances that warrant removal include crossing the
floor (switching political parties), prolonged absenteeism, criminal
conviction, bankruptcy, insanity, conflict of interest vis a vis government,
among others. Unless these protocols are violated, then an elected
Representative serves his constituents for the life of that Parliament, usually
a term of five years.
As the UDP courted the Belizean people in the months leading
up to the General Elections, their campaign jingle proclaimed that their Party
would govern “fu you, fu me, fu all a wi.” They would be neither nepotistic nor
vindictive. Alas, after just six months, the marriage between the UDP and the
people is heading for the rocks.
Editorial 
