Belize Commentary by Godfrey Smith – Recall of representatives does not exist in any other Caricom country. No doubt this bill will meet with a groundswell of support from the people that will drown out the croaking caution of the cynics. Giving the people what they want is good politics,…. But is the power to recall representatives what the people want?
What the people want
The appearance late last week of the Recall of Elected Representatives bill on the government’s website signals its seriousness about introducing a new and unknown variable into the Belizean political equation. Recall, like the referendum, is a tool of direct democracy; a means of giving the electorate a greater and more direct say on a particular issue. Specifically, recall gives to constituents the power to remove their elected representative before the next general election.
