Prime Minister Dean Barrow says people who have been in self-isolation or have tested positive for coronavirus ahead of Belize’s November 11 general election will not be allowed to vote.

“It can’t be

permitted. If you are COVID positive, you are supposed to be in quarantine

either at a government facility or at your own home. There’s no way we can get

around that restriction, which is a legal one, a mandatory one,” Barrow said.

“And If we

were to try to change the law to make arrangements to accommodate COVID

positive persons who wish to vote, not only would it be I think, an extremely

difficult logistical exercise, I suspect that the fears of those that are not

positive, but who already have reservations or perhaps in two minds of whether

they will exercise their franchise, those fears would become even more

pronounced,” he added.

The

Elections and Boundaries Department had initially indicated that all persons

who show up at the respective polling stations will be allowed to cast their

ballot.

The main opposition People’s United Party (PUP) says it will be taking a position on that decision.

Section Five

of Chapter Nine of the Representation of the People’s Act lists the

qualifications that allow persons to vote in the elections. These include that

the person must be a Belizean, a Commonwealth citizen residing in Belize for 12

months or more, must be 18-years and over. The Act also lists who is disqualified

but is silent about any infectious diseases.

Belize is

the latest Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country to be holding a general

election during the COVID-19 pandemic, following St. Kitts-Nevis, Suriname,

Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. St. Vincent and the Grenadines will hold its

general election on November 5.

Barrow, who

is stepping down from active politics, told reporters that while it is

extremely regrettable “that if you are COVID positive, in effect you are not

able to exercise your franchise, we don’t see that it can be otherwise,” he

said.