Senate

The Senate is currently comprised of thirteen appointed Members, while the President of the Senate is either elected from among the appointed Members or from outside of the Senate. The thirteen Senators are appointed by the Governor General; six Senators are appointed on the advice of the Prime Minister; three are appointed on the advice of the Leader of the Opposition; one is appointed on the advice of the Belize Chamber of Commerce and the Belize Business Bureau; one is appointed on the advice of the Belize Council of Churches and the Evangelical Association of Churches; one is appointed on the advice of the Belize National Trade Union Congress and the Civil Society Steering Committee; and one is appointed on the advice of the Non Governmental Organizations.

The Senate, besides discussing and debating Bills coming from the House of Representatives, has specific functions. These functions include approving any Bill to alter any provision of Part II of the Belize Constitution, in accordance with subsection (5A) of  section 69 of the Constitution; authorizing the ratification (including adhesion or accession) of any treaty by the Government of Belize, including any treaty for the settlement of the territorial dispute between Belize and the Republic of Guatemala; approving the establishment in Belize of any military base of operations for any foreign military forces; approving the appointment of the Contractor General, the Ombudsman, a member of the Elections and Boundaries Commission, and a member of the Integrity Commission; instituting and conducting enquiries and investigations on any matter of the public interest or importance, including inquiries into mismanagement or corruption by persons in the central government or public statutory bodies; receiving, reviewing and reporting on annual reports and other reports of the Auditor General, the Contractor General and the Ombudsman and instituting and conducting inquiries, investigations and hearings in relation thereto; requiring the attendance before it of the Auditor General, the Contractor General or the Ombudsman generally, in relation to the discharge of their duties and the execution of their functions; requiring the attendance before it of any Chief Executive Officer in a Government Ministry in respect of any matter of which he has knowledge by virtue of his office, or in respect of anything related to his office and the due execution of his duties; and requiring the attendance before any Committee of the Senate, of any Minister of Government.