Lord Michael Ashcroft… we didn't hear his name in the House Of Representatives today, but there were many veiled reference to him as the PM and the Leader of the Opposition discussed the controversial termination of 36 workers at the Port of Belize. The Port is considered part of the Ashcroft Alliance since a company called Private Investment Limited took it over as received in 2012.
Well, from the role of so called "oppressor", Ashcroft is trying to take a turn as saviour, attempting to come to the aid of the Elections and Boundaries Commission. He wants to pay for an expert witness to help the Commission, and the Supreme Court cure the imbalances in the country's 31 electoral divisions.
Earlier this year, he formally became an interested party in a lawsuit being brought by a group of Belizeans who still want to trigger a redistricting exercise of all those constituencies, preferably before the next general elections are held.
The claimants are all members or allies of the Belize Peace Movement, and today, their lawsuit had its first hearing in almost 5 months before the new Acting Chief Justice, Michelle Arana.
This afternoon, Senior Counsel Andrew Marshalleck, Ashcroft's attorney, made an application for the court to allow this expert witness to make a professional assessment of the disparity between the 31 electoral divisions. The Government's attorney, Assistant Solicitor General Samantha Matute-Tucker, submitted arguments in opposition to this expert witness. After the hearing, we got a chance to speak with the attorneys about the outcome, and here's what they told us:
The redistricting lawsuit has been adjourned to a date which the judge will announce.
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