Tonight, Belize has a new government after 128 thousand voters went to the polls yesterday and overwhelmingly selected the blue party to lead them for the next 5 years. The PUP won 26 seats to the UDP's 5 - which is the same outcome as the election 5 years ago.
The turnout was the lowest in Belize's general election history, only 65% of eligible voters went to the poll - but an equally historic 68% of them voted blue. That's a higher percentage of the popular vote than even George Price got in the 50's.
It's a massive mandate and it's reflective of an opposition that has all but collapsed - and tonight, former leader Shyne Barrow - who lost in his Mesopotamia constituency - appears to have no standing as party leader - since he is not a member of the National Assembly.
Indeed, the PUP never had it so good, but today at his swearing in, the Prime Minister wasn't looking to history, and neither did he take a triumphalist tone - instead he tried his best to rein in ambitions of his wide eyed Cabinet in the making, and to signal a business like approach to his second term.
Courtney Menzies was there:
Less than 24 hours after John Briceno's win in Orange Walk Central, he was officially sworn in as Prime Minister for the second time. But he began his next term in a slightly unique way - first by hosting the ceremony in Belize City instead of Belmopan, at the Government House.
It was a simple ceremony that began with the PM and his wife descending the stairs. Briceno then headed to a table set up below, where he and the Governor General signed the necessary documents.
The audience - consisting of Briceno's sons, brother, and beloved granddaughter, along with many of the re-elected area reps - erupted into cheers.
The PM then took the podium to- for the second time in 18 hours - emphasize the importance of humility as they head into their second term.
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"I know that right now we're in a mood for celebrations and rightfully so, you have earned that but the task ahead of us is going to be a difficult one, as I said last night when I addressed the nation. It's going to be a challenging one, the world continues to change very quickly and for a small country like Belize, we have to be able to adapt and to move with the changes to ensure that at all times we can always keep the Belizean people in mind that the decisions we make will be to make their lives better. And I know that sometimes we have also that that hubris could quickly creep into us as a person and to the things and to how we behave as ministers and as a government and I am appealing to each one of you to be able to keep that in check and if you see me behaving in such a way too I want you to ensure to keep my feet grounded."
After the ceremony, the Prime Minister, the Governor General, his family and closest circle of supporters took the official photograph, emphasizing his extended network of support.
Reports say that deliberations have started and the PM will be cutting the Cabinet cake over the weekend.
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