Today, Tuesday, 12th November 2024, Honourable Members gathered in the Chambers of the National Assembly at the George Price Centre in Belmopan for a Special Sitting of the House of Representatives. The meeting began at 10:33 A.M. with the Belizean National Prayer offered by Pastor David Shaw.

Following prayers, the Honourable Speaker Woods, in her announcement, acknowledged the presence of H.E. Rosanna Briceño, representatives from the National Committee for Families and Children and past Children Parliamentarians in the public galleries. The Honourable Speaker Woods also announced the first attempt to do an outdoor gallery at today’s meeting.

Before the meeting began, the Honourable Prime Minister wished the Honourable Speaker Woods a happy birthday.

Here on, the Honourable Minister of Public Utilities, Logistics, and E-Governance presented Sessional Papers, No. HR277A/1/13 – Public Utilities Commission (Request for Proposals) Regulations, 2024, which was ordered to lie on the Table.

Afterwards, the Honourable Chairpersons of the respective Committees presented THIRTEEN (13) Reports which were ordered to be laid on the Table as follows:

  1. No. HR278/1/13 – Report from the Finance and Economic Development Committee on the Government of Belize and Social Security Board Settlement Deed Bill, 2024.
  2. No. HR279/1/13 – Report from the Finance and Economic Development Committee on the Financial Services Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2024.
  3. No. HR280/1/13 – Report from the Finance and Economic Development Committee on the Securities Industry (Amendment) Bill, 2024.
  4. No. HR281/1/13 – Report from the Finance and Economic Development Committee on the Income and Business Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2024.
  5. No. HR282/1/13 – Report from the Finance and Economic Development Committee on the Tax Administration and Procedure (Amendment) Bill, 2024.
  6. No. HR283/1/13 – Report from the Finance and Economic Development Committee on the General Sales Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2024.
  7. No. HR284/1/13 – Report from the Finance and Economic Development Committee on the Business Names (Amendment) Bill, 2024.
  8. No. HR285/1/13 – Report from the Finance and Economic Development Committee 2 on the Designated Processing Areas (Amendment) Bill, 2024.
  9. No. HR285A/1/13 – Report from the Finance and Economic Development Committee on the Stamp Duties (Amendment) Bill, 2024.
  10. No. HR286/1/13 – Report from the Health and Human Development Committee on the Marriage (Amendment) Bill, 2024.
  11. No. HR287/1/13 – Report from the Public Service, Labour, Industry, and Trade Committee on the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2024.
  12. No. HR288/1/13 – Report from the Natural Resources and Environment Committee on the Resolution for the Expansion of the Protection of Belize’s Total Ocean Space and the Medium Bio-Diversity Protection Zones Motion, 2024.
  13. No. HR289/1/13 – Report from the Tourism, Archaeology, and Information Committee on the National Institute of Culture and History (Amendment) Bill, 2024.

Following the presentation of Reports from Select Committees, the next Agenda item was the Honourable Prime Minister giving a statement.

*For more information on the contents of the statement, please see the live broadcast*

At today’s Special Sitting, FIVE (5) Bills were introduced between the Honourable Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Economic Development, Investment, Civil Aviation and Immigration, the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade, Education, Culture, Science, and Technology, the Honourable Minister of Public Service, Constitutional and Political Reform, and Religious Affairs, and the Honourable Minister of The Blue Economy and Disaster Risk Management:

  1. Social Security (Amendment) Bill, 2024;
  2. National Health Insurance (Validation) Bill, 2024;
  3. Senior Courts (Amendment) Bill, 2024;
  4. The People’s Constitution Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2024; and
  5. Disaster Preparedness and Response (Amendment) Bill, 2024.

Hereafter, the Resolution for the Expansion of the Protection of Belize’s Total Ocean Space and the Medium Bio-Diversity Protection Zones Motion, 2024, which was introduced at the last Sitting of the House of Representatives was approved by the Honourable House of Representatives. The Honourable Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Economic Development, Investment, Civil Aviation, and Immigration introduced the Resolution Authorizing Request for Affiliation to the Inter-Parliamentary Union Motion, 2024.

The Sitting was briefly suspended to allow the relevant Committees to meet and conduct their business. After resuming, the following Reports were presented and ordered to be laid on the Table:

  1. No. HR290/1/13 – Report from the Health and Human Development Committee on the Disaster Preparedness and Response (Amendment) Bill, 2024.
  2. No. HR291/1/13 – Report from the Constitution and Foreign Affairs on the People’s Constitution Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2024.
  3. No. HR292/1/13 – Report from the Public Service, Labour, Industry, and Trade Committee on the Social Security (Amendment) Bill, 2024.
  4. No. HR293/1/13 – Report from the Public Service, Labour, Industry, and Trade Committee on the National Health Insurance (Validation) Bill, 2024.

Today, the House of Representatives passed a total of FIFTEEN (15) Bills:

  1. Government of Belize and Social Security Board Settlement Deed Bill, 2024;
  2. Financial Services Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2024;
  3. Securities Industry (Amendment) Bill, 2024;
  4. Income and Business Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2024;
  5. Tax Administration and Procedure (Amendment) Bill, 2024;
  6. General Sales Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2024;
  7. Business Names (Amendment) Bill, 2024;
  8. Designated Processing Areas (Amendment) Bill, 2024;
  9. National Institute of Culture and History (Amendment) Bill, 2024;
  10.  Marriage (Amendment) Bill, 2024;
  11. Stamp Duties (Amendment) Bill, 2024;
  12. Social Security (Amendment) Bill, 2024;
  13. National Health Insurance (Validation) Bill, 2024;
  14. The People’s Constitution Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2024; and
  15. Disaster Preparedness and Response (Amendment) Bill, 2024.

A division was called for both the Social Security (Amendment) Bill, 2024 and the National Health Insurance (Validation) Bill, 2024. The Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2024 was withdrawn. The Disaster Preparedness and Response (Amendment) Bill, 2024 was the ONLY Bill that was passed with amendments.

Before the adjournment of the Special Sitting of the House of Representatives, Honourable Members of the House had the chance to rise and speak on matters of national importance.

*For more information on the matters discussed before the adjournment, kindly refer to the live broadcast of the Sitting*

This summarizes the events of this Special Sitting of the House of Representatives with the meeting adjourning at 5:23 P.M.

 

For further information on the Orders of the Day, please see the links below:

Orders of the Day

For access to the Draft Bills introduced, please see the link below:

Draft Bills

 

For access to the live broadcast, please see the links below:

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/Zd8pQFNYv7HYi1Tm/

 

******