EVOLUTION OF GOVERNANCE IN BELIZE – Part 2

First Election 1954 – Quasi Ministerial System 1955 – Legislative Assembly 1959

ELECTIONS UNDER ADULT SUFFRAGE 1951—First Election 1954 & Quasi Ministerial System 1955

Through the agitation of the PUP and members of the General Workers Union (GWU), the Constitution was amended to allow for Universal Adult Suffrage in 1951. Universal Adult Suffrage meant that working class persons, all adults (male and female) 21 years and over will have the right to vote for the very first time—gone were the qualifying factors based on land ownership and financial earnings. The political party system was implemented to advance leaders to be voted for. The People’s United Party (PUP) emerged in 1950, and the National Party (NP) in 1952. The first national election took place on Wednesday, April 28, 1954 to elect nine members to the Legislative Council. The PUP/GWU coalition won eight seats and one seat was garnered by the National Party.

For the first time elected members formed the majority in the Legislative Council. These elected leaders are as follows:

Besides the nine elected members of the Legislative Council, there were six others–three nominated and three official members who were employees of the Crown, making a total of 15 members. The Legislative Council was presided over by a Speaker nominated by the Governor. Provisions were also made for an Executive Council, chaired by the Governor, and whose membership consisted of ten persons–four elected members, four official members who were employees of the Crown, two nominated members.

Some 20,801 electors voted in the 1954 elections representing 70.5% of the total electorate. The number of electors, as well as voter turnout, painted the mood of the times relative to 1948. For the first time elected leaders formed the majority in the Legislature, but still the minority in the Executive Council.

One year later in 1955, the Quasi Ministerial System was introduced. George Cadle Price became Associate Member for Natural Resources, Leigh I. A. Richardson Member for Natural Resources, Phillip S.W. Goldson Member for Social Service, and Herman Jex Member for Public Utilities.

ELECTIONS AFTER ADULT SUFFRAGE – Legislative Assembly of 1959

In 1959, Sir Hilary Blood was appointed by the British Government to assess the existing Constitution and to make recommendations based on his findings. With the influence of the political and social climate, and augmented by Blood’s report, the constitution was amended and local autonomy increased as follows:

The Full Ministerial system was introduced.
The Office of First Minister was created
A Cabinet of Ministers was created
The role of political parties was given constitutional validity

A Legislative Assembly replaced the Legislative Council with 25 members, 18 of whom were elected, five nominated and two ex-officio members. The composition of the Executive Council also changed, to include: five elected members, one nominated member and two ex-officio members. The Legislative Assembly was presided over by a Speaker, nominated by the Governor. The Executive Council was still chaired by the Governor, but was a non-voting position. For the first time the people’s representatives were the majority on the Executive Council. The new Constitution came into effect after the 1961 national elections on Wednesday, March 26. Three political parties contested this election to fill the 18 seats, namely PUP, National Independence Party (NIP) and Christian Democratic Party (CDP). There were also two independent candidates. The PUP won all eighteen seats and George Cadle Price became the First Minister.

References:

Electoral Politics BELIZE: The Naked Truth, I Myrtle Palacio 2011
A Framework for Voter Education, I Myrtle Palacio 2004
Who and What in Belizean Elections 1954 to 1993, I Myrtle Palacio 1993