Special Sitting of the Senate 28.4.20

There was a Special Sitting of the Senate held today, Tuesday 28th April 2020, in the Chamber of the National Assembly Building in Belmopan to debate and for the adoption of  the Extending the Period of Public Emergency in the Country of Belize Declared by Proclamation of the Governor-General on April 1, 2020, Motion, 2020. 

• Extending the Period of Public Emergency in the Country of Belize Declared by Proclamation of the Governor-General on April 1, 2020, Motion, 2020.WHEREAS, section 18 (2) of the Belize Constitution provides that the Governor-General may, by proclamation which shall be published in the Gazette, declare that a state of public emergency exists for the purposes of Part II of the Constitution;AND WHEREAS, section 18 (3) of the Belize Constitution provides that, in order to have effect, the proclamation must contain a declaration of the Governor-General that he is satisfied that a public emergency has arisen as a result of the outbreak of infectious disease;

  AND WHEREAS, section 18 (4) of the Belize Constitution provides that a proclamation made under section 18 (2) may be made so as to apply only to such part of Belize as may be specified in the proclamation;

  AND WHEREAS, section 18 (5) of the Belize Constitution provides that a proclamation made by the Governor-General for the purposes of and in accordance with section 18 of the Constitution shall, unless previously revoked, remain in force for a period not exceeding one month; but may be extended from time to time by a resolution passed by the National Assembly for further periods, not exceeding in respect of each such extension a period of twelve months; and may be revoked at any time by a resolution of the National Assembly;

  AND WHEREAS, having been satisfied that a public emergency had arisen in the entire country of Belize as a result of the outbreak of the infectious disease known as COVID-19,  the Governor-General, by Proclamation made on the 1st day of April 2020, by Statutory Instrument No. 45 of 2020, declared that a state of public emergency exists in the entire country of Belize and that the Proclamation shall, unless previously revoked, remain in force for a period not exceeding one month, or such longer period, not exceeding twelve months, as may be determined by resolution passed by the National Assembly;

  AND WHEREAS, recognizing that the period of public emergency shall expire at the end of day on the 30th day of April 2020 and being satisfied that a period of public emergency persists in the entire country of Belize as a result of the outbreak of the infectious disease known as COVID-19;

  NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that this Honourable House, being satisfied that a period of public emergency persists in the entire country of Belize as a result of the outbreak of the infectious disease known as COVID-19, hereby extends the period of public emergency in the country of Belize for a further period of two months.

Present at today’s Meeting were the Hon. Mr. President; Hon. Leader of Government Business; Senator Michel Chebat; and Senator Elena Smith, in order to maintain social distancing due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Senate was adjourned at 11:45 A.M.