Belize has taken a major step toward addressing the long-unresolved issue of unregulated political and campaign financing, with a local policy think tank releasing a comprehensive road map for reform – but the biggest question now hangs over whether the nation’s elected leaders will choose to act on the proposal.
The Belize Policy Research Institute (BELPRI) recently published its landmark report detailing a clear framework for enacting the campaign finance legislation that has been debated for decades across Belize’s political landscape. In an interview discussing the report, BELPRI Executive Director Dr. Dylan Vernon noted that the hardest challenge facing reform is not drafting solid, enforceable legislation, but building political buy-in from the leaders who stand to benefit from the current unregulated system.
Belize’s Prime Minister John Briceño has previously cast doubt on the timeline for reform, saying that overhauling political finance rules is such a massive undertaking that it is unlikely to be completed during his current administration’s term. But Dr. Vernon has pushed back against this narrative, arguing that difficulty is no excuse for inaction.
“We have to acknowledge that it’s not going to be easy. This is difficult. The Prime Minister is right in that way. But, because it’s difficult, it does not mean in any way or form that we should not try and we should not at least try to mitigate some of the worst implications and negative results of money in politics,” Dr. Vernon stated.
The think tank’s report is framed as a usable blueprint that the government and political parties can leverage to move the reform process forward, if they have the willingness to do so. For Dr. Vernon, the core test of reform is not working out logistics of enforcement – a common excuse cited by politicians to delay action – but convincing sitting politicians that the current system that benefits them personally ultimately fails the broader public.
For years, politicians across both of Belize’s major political parties have gained advantages from the lack of formal regulation of political financing, keeping the status quo firmly in place. “Changing it will not be easy. And I think that’s the key hurdle to overcome. The excuses about lack of enforcement and how difficult it is, I think we’re able to get over those. The key one would be convincing them that the status quo isn’t working,” Dr. Vernon explained.
Despite the steep political barriers, Dr. Vernon emphasized that even incremental reform introducing basic oversight of campaign finance would deliver long-term benefits for both the political class and the general Belizean public, making the effort to push for change worthwhile.