Lee Mark Chang
President of the Belize Senate
In office
9 November 2015 – 21 April 2019
Prime MinisterDean Barrow
Preceded byMarco Pech
Succeeded byDarrell Bradley
Personal details
Political partyUnited Democratic Party
Lee Mark Chang
Traditional Chinese鄭經緯
Simplified Chinese郑经纬

Lee Mark Chang is a Belizean politician and restaurateur. A member of the United Democratic Party, he was the first ethnic Chinese person to hold the post of President of the Senate of Belize.[1]

Early life and career

Chang got his start in life working at the Chon Saan Palace restaurant which his father Armando opened in 1974. Under his management, he grew it from a small family restaurant to a chain with three locations and fifty staff, making it "one of the biggest names in restaurants" in the country.[2] He also became the president of the Chinese Association of Belize.[3] Under his tenure as president, the CAB worked closely with the Belize Police Department on issues of crime prevention, and also donated several motorcycles.[4] He also served in a variety of public positions, for example sitting on the Belize District Liquor Licensing board and working as an occasional court translator.[5][6]

In politics

Chang first announced his intention to join electoral politics in August 2009.[7] In August 2010, PM Dean Barrow appointed Chang to the Senate and made him acting president, to fill in for Andrea Gill who was on maternity leave. Politicians from both sides of the aisle such as the PUP's Lisa Shoman offered congratulations to him on what they described as "the epitome of Belize's cultural diversity" and an "important milestone" for Belize's Chinese community.[1]

Chang entered the 2012 "double election" as the UDP's National Assembly candidate for the Freetown constituency. In the run-up to the election, an unknown person released a forged letter claiming to be from Chang, promising to distribute land in Belama to the Belize Chinese Association in exchange for campaign contributions.[8] The Belize Times also published a number of racist comments about him.[9] Lee lost the election to PUP party leader Francis Fonseca by 1,558 to 1,408 votes.[10] In early April Chang filed a motion for an election petition in April, alleging that Fonseca's agents engaged in bribery of the electorate. Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin granted him leave to bring the petition; it was the first election petition in Belize's history to be granted on the grounds of bribery.[11]

In November 2015, Chang became the President of the Senate, [12] after the United Democratic Party won their 3rd term.

Personal life

Chang's parents are Chinese immigrants.[1] He was born at the former Holden Memorial Hospital on the Marine Parade in Belize City.[7]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Belize's first Chinese President of the Senate". The Belize Reporter. 2010-08-20. Retrieved 2012-04-24.
  2. ↑ "7 On the Inside of Chon Saan Palace's Kitchen". 7 News Belize. 2008-11-12. Retrieved 2012-04-22.
  3. ↑ "Chinese-Belizeans celebrate New Year". News 5 Belize. 2004-01-22. Retrieved 2012-04-24.
  4. ↑ "The Chinese Community's Contribution". 7 News Belize. 2010-05-18. Retrieved 2012-04-24.
  5. ↑ Humes, Aaron (2009-02-20). "Archie Lee and Wilmot square off!". Amandala. Retrieved 2012-04-22.
  6. ↑ "Chinese National pays $1000 fine for frying chicken". Belize Local News. 2010-05-14. Archived from the original on 2012-12-19. Retrieved 2012-04-24.
  7. 1 2 "Lee Mark Chang: 1 citizenship and 100% Belizean". News 5 Belize. 2009-08-06. Retrieved 2012-04-24.
  8. ↑ "Lee Mark Cries Foul in Freetown". 7 News Belize. 2012-02-29. Retrieved 2012-04-22.
  9. ↑ Williams, Shane (2012-03-01). "PUP Trying to Inject Racism in Freetown". Belize Guardian. Retrieved 2012-04-22.
  10. ↑ "CJ approves application for election petition against Francis Fonseca". Love TV Belize. 2012-04-04. Archived from the original on 2013-01-01. Retrieved 2012-04-24.
  11. ↑ "Bribery Petition Against PUP Leader Granted Leave To Be Heard". 7 News Belize. 2012-04-04. Retrieved 2012-04-24.
  12. ↑ "Senate Belize - National Assembly".
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