San Pedro resident Mahmoud Dani Lagha has been appointed as the new Standard Bearer for the Belize Rural South (BRS) Constituency under the United Democratic Party (UDP). The announcement was made public on Tuesday, August 27th, taking many islanders by surprise. The young entrepreneur is determined to contest the BRS seat in the next general elections, set for November 2025.
This is the fourth candidate the UDP has introduced for a chance to enter the House of Representatives. The first Standard Bearer was realtor Jazelie ‘Jaz’ Azueta, who was removed. She was followed by former Mayor Daniel Guerrero, who stepped down. Then, media personality Ramon Vasquez withdrew his application days after being sworn in as the third Standard Bearer.
The residents of BRS, which includes Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker, have mixed reactions to the appointment of Lagha, commonly called Dani Harmouch, on the island. Some believe UDP leader Moses ‘Shyne’ Barrow is affecting his party by appointing candidates without any political background. Others support Lagha in submitting his application and have pledged their support. Critics point out that Lagha is from Lebanon and not a born Belizean, and thus should not be qualified for such a post. Lagha briefly responded that he is Belizean and ready to serve his community and constituency despite his Lebanese descent. The UDP leadership noted that the recently installed Minister of Foreign Trade, the Honorable Osmond Martinez, was allowed to contest the Toledo East seat for the People’s United Party (PUP) even though he was born in Honduras.
Lagha was described as a dedicated citizen and very active on Ambergris Caye. He was also described as a good entrepreneur and very active in the sporting community. He and his team recently won a national championship as the owner of a football club, Terror Squad. As such, the UDP is confident Lagha is a strong candidate to contest the BRS seat.
The House of Representatives section of the Constitution of Belize discusses the qualifications for the election of members. According to Section 58, a person is eligible to become a member of the House of Representatives if he or she is a citizen of Belize aged 18 or upwards and has resided in Belize for at least one year immediately before the date of his nomination for election.
Some points considered for disqualification include someone acting on any acknowledgment of allegiance, obedience, or adherence to a foreign power or State. Another reason includes being declared bankrupt under any law in force in any part of the Commonwealth. A person certified insane or otherwise adjudged to be of unsound mind under any law will not be allowed to become a member of the House of Representatives.
The current government under the PUP will seek re-election in the next general elections, which are set for late 2025. As such, the UDP is trying to fill all the vacant Standard Bearer seats in case the current administration calls for an early election.
