On Friday, 21st April 2023, Honourable Members of the House of Representatives gathered in the National Assembly Chamber, Belmopan for a Special Sitting. The meeting started at 10:20 A.M. with the Belizean National Prayer offered by Ms. Sylvia Castillo.
Thenceforth, in her announcement the Honourable Valerie Woods, Speaker of the House of Representatives, acknowledged the Faith Nazarene Primary School students and teachers who were present in the Public Galleries, and went on and recognized the month of Autism and encouraged the Members and the public to bring awareness to the Autism community in Belize. Before closing her comments, Madam Speaker pointed out World Earth Day which is annually celebrated on the 22nd of April.
Subsequent to Madam Speaker’s comments, the Honourable Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Economic Development, and Investment moved that the House of Representatives accept the Amendments to the Non-Profit Organisations Bill, 2023 proposed by the Senate, and the Honourable Minister of Education, Culture, Science and Technology executed the same action for the Legal Aid Bill, 2023.
From here on, the Honourable Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Economic Development, and Investment presented and laid on the Table of the House of Representatives TWENTY (20) Sessional Papers, the Belize Constitution (Public Service Emoluments and Allowances) (Reduction) (Amendment) Regulations, 2023, the House of Representatives (Amendment) Standing Orders, 2023, and EIGHTEEN (18), Social Security relating to the Collection of Contributions, Financial and Accounting, Non-Contributory Pension for Women 65 Years or Over, Non-Contributory Pension for Persons 65 Years or Over, Benefit, Claims and Payments, Registration of Employers and Employed Persons.
For this Special Sitting of the House of Representatives, a grand total of TEN (10) Bills were introduced between the Honourable Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Economic Development, and Investment, the Honourable Minister of Education, Culture, Science and Technology, and the Honourable Minister of Home Affairs and New Growth Industries, namely:
- Public Sector Emoluments and Allowances Reduction (Amendment) Bill, 2023;
- Credit Unions (Amendment) Bill, 2023;
- Central Bank of Belize (Amendment) Bill, 2023;
- Domestic Banks and Financial Institutions (Amendment) Bill, 2023;
- International Banking (Amendment) Bill, 2023;
- Moneylenders (Amendment) Bill, 2023;
- Money Laundering and Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Bill, 2023;
- National Payment System (Amendment) Bill, 2023;
- Law Revision (Amendment) Bill, 2023; and
- Special Prosecutor Bill, 2023.
Next on the Orders of the Day, the House of Representatives introduced and adopted TWO (2) Motions as follows:
- Development Finance Corporation Loan Facility from the Social Security Board to Provide Financing Primarily for the on-going Mortgage Finance Program-Belize $20 Million Loan Motion, 2023; and
- Resolution Recommending the Appointment of a Contractor-General Motion, 2023.
The Motion for the Establishment of the Women’s Parliamentarian Caucus Standing Committee, 2023, was also introduced to the House of Representatives by the Honourable Minister of Human Development, Families and Indigenous Peoples’ Affair.
Thereafter Reports from the Finance and Economic Development Committee were presented and ordered to lie on the Table Sessional Papers as follows:
No. HR 181/1/13 – Report from the Finance and Economic Development Committee on the Public Sector Emoluments and Allowances Reduction (Amendment) Bill, 2023.
No. HR 182/1/13 – Report from the Finance and Economic Development Committee on the Development Finance Corporation Loan Facility from the Social Security Board to Provide Financing Primarily for the on-going Mortgage Finance Program-Belize $20 Million Loan Motion, 2023.
Afterwards, the Constitution and Foreign Affairs Committee presented Sessional Paper No. HR 183/1/13 – Report from the Constitution and Foreign Affairs Committee on the Resolution Recommending the Appointment of a Contractor-General Motion, 2023, which was ordered to lie on the Table.
Lastly, of the ten Bills introduced today, the Public Sector Emoluments and Allowances Reduction (Amendment) Bill, 2023, was the only Bill to go through all of its stages and was passed without amendment.
This entails the events of today’s Special Sitting of the House of Representatives resulting in the meeting concluding at 2:27 P.M.
For further information on the Orders of the Day, please see the links below:
For access to the broadcast of the Special Sitting, kindly see the link below:
https://www.youtube.com/live/O9sQ7-iyAj4?feature=share