Amandala columnist Henry Gordon, refuting a statement by former Prime Minister Said Musa, laid out the boundaries under which national elections can be called in a recent article.
Mr. Musa had requested a dissolution of the National Assembly on January 24, 2003, 4 years, 7 months and 4 days after the last general election, August 27, 1998.
That dissolution was granted by Young on February 4, 2003, at which time the Assembly stood dissolved while preparations were made for elections on March 5, 2003.
The more powerful lower chamber, the House of Representatives, currently has 31 members elected for terms up to five years in single-seat constituencies on a first past the post basis.
Philip Goldson, a longtime UDP area representative who ran under the National Alliance for Belizean Rights banner in 1993, is the only successful candidate outside the two major parties since independence.
Wilfred Elrington, running independently in 2003, finished second in front of the UDP candidate in the Pickstock constituency.
Despite the overall abysmal record of independent candidates and third parties, the political process in Belize still sees its fair share of well-intentioned people stepping forward to serve the nation.
All major Belizean political parties nominate House candidates via a preselection process similar to those used in other Westminster systems.
Standard bearers are considered party officials responsible for overall political organization in their particular constituencies regardless of whether they currently serve in the Belize House or not.
Members of the 13-seat upper house of the National Assembly, the Senate, are officially appointed by the Governor-General of Belize.
By-elections are usually held to replace representatives either locally or nationally, who are lost during the course of their term for various reasons.
Stuart Leslie was appointed to the post in August 2005, replacing veteran Myrtle Palacio.
Stuart Leslie confirmed to local television station 7 News that he would not serve as Chief Elections Officer beyond December 2006, having accepted a post in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.