The House of Representatives met on Friday, January 17, at 10:00 A.M. in the Chamber of the National Assembly Building, Belmopan. The Honourable Laura Tucker Longsworth, Speaker of the House of Representatives was not able to attend the Sitting, therefore the Honourable Dr. Omar Figueroa, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives sat in and presided over the meeting. The proceedings on the days agenda were as follows.

PAPERS

No. HR237A/1/12 – Report of the Auditor General – Audit of Julian Cho Technical High School, Ministry of Education – For the Period April 1, 2014 to September 2016.

No. HR237B/1/12 – Report of the Auditor General – Audit of the National Sports Council, Ministry of Education – For the Period April 2015 to March 31, 2016.

No. HR237C/1/12 – Central Bank of Belize – Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for Fiscal Year 2020.

BILL INTRODUCED

 1. Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters (Amendment) Bill, 2020.

Bill for an Act to amend the Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters Act, 2014 (Act No. 14 of 2014), to increase international tax transparency and improve access of the Belize Tax Services regarding global allocation of the income, the taxes paid, and certain indicators of the location of economic activity among tax jurisdictions in which multinational enterprise groups operate; to give effect to the Multilateral Competent Authority Agreement on the Exchange of Country-by-Country Reports; and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

MOTIONS

1. The OPEC Fund for International Development US$10,000,000 – Upgrading of Caracol Road Project, Phase II – Loan Motion, 2020.

2. Appointment of Contractor-General Motion, 2020.

   BILLS PASSED

 1. Social Security (Amendment) Bill, 2019.

Bill for an Act to amend the Social Security Act, Chapter 44 of the Substantive Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2011; to remove offences in relation to insurance stamp; and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

2. Fisheries Resources Bill, 2019.

Bill for an Act to make provisions in accordance with international best practices for the management of aquatic and fisheries resources of Belize with an aim to optimize present and future benefits through long-term conservation, management, sustainable use and development within the fisheries waters of Belize; to provide for the effective regulation of the fishing industry; to provide for the management and regulation of mariculture; to repeal the Fisheries Act, Chapter 210 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2011; and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

3. Hotels and Tourist Accommodation (Amendment) Bill, 2019.

Bill for an Act to amend the Hotels and Tourist Accommodation Act, Chapter 285 of Substantive Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2011; to modernize the minimum registration, licensing and operating requirement for hotels and other tourist accommodations; and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

4. Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters (Amendment) Bill, 2020.

Bill for an Act to amend the Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters Act, 2014 (Act No. 14 of 2014), to increase international tax transparency and improve access of the Belize Tax Services regarding global allocation of the income, the taxes paid, and certain indicators of the location of economic activity among tax jurisdictions in which multinational enterprise groups operate; to give effect to the Multilateral Competent Authority Agreement on the Exchange of Country-by-Country Reports; and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

On the adjournment, several Members made short interventions on issues of national importance. The meetings was adjourned at 3:00 P.M.