Democratic and Agricultural Labour Party
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The Democratic and Agricultural Labour Party (DALP), more commonly referred to as the Christian Democratic Party (CDP), was a short-lived Belizean political party formed at about the same time as the National Independence Party (NIP). It promoted Christian Democratic ideals.
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[edit] Formation and leaders
The NIP was a little over a month old in August 1958, and Member of the Belize House of Representatives Enrique Depaz claimed at a meeting held on August 19, 1958 that there was no opposition to the ruling People's United Party (PUP), who had just won elections in March 1957. He proposed that a third party was justifiably necessary to provide real representation to Belizeans. His proposal was accepted and the DALP was formed under leader Nicholas Pollard.
[edit] Aims of the party
- achieving self-government
- cooperation with other parties for the good of the country
- promotion of social, economic and political development
- educating Belizeans on their rights, duties and conduct
- abstaining from entering unfavourable political groupings such as the West Indian Federation or proposed affiliation with Guatemala and/or the rest of Central America.
Note that the last was frequently mentioned in the late 1950s as a suitable means of securing Belize's development.
[edit] Reorganization, disappointment and disbandment
By October 1960, the party felt it was time to reorganize. Pollard was demoted to Deputy Leader and replaced by Member of Parliament Denbigh Jeffrey. Joining them were Chairman Lionel Francis (previously of the NP), Secretary Mervyn Hulse and assistant Ernest Cain, Treasurer Clare Gill and National Organizer Robert Taylor.
The CDP contested its first and only general election in 1961. None of the eleven candidates it fielded won any seats.
After such a disappointment, the CDP/DALP fizzled and most of its members switched over to the National Independence Party.
In 1984 general elections, the name CDP was briefly revived by Dangriga candidate Theodore Aranda to promote his new party based in Dangriga. Aranda's CDP, like its 1961 counterpart, fared poorly in general elections that year.
