On Monday 24th October 2022, a Special Sitting of the Senate was held in Belmopan at the National Assembly. The meeting began at 11:05 A.M. with the Belizean Prayer offered by Senator Collet Montejo. Shortly thereafter, there was the Oath of Allegiance taken by Temporary Senator Luis Luke Martinez, alternate for Senator Elena Smith who is currently out of the country on official duties. Following were Announcements made by Madam President where she first congratulated the Leader of Government Business on the launching of the new E-Passport. Moving forward Madam President went on to mention the upcoming 3rd Annual National Children’s Parliament that is taking place on 11th November 2022 at the National Assembly building, Belmopan, and after moved to address the Youth Parliamentarians who were present in the Chamber and briefly introduced them and their role.

 

On the Orders of the Day were the following:

 

A Paper which was ordered to lie on the Table by Madam President.

No. 32/1/14 – Annual Report of the Development Finance Corporation for the year 2021.

 

Four (4) Motions which were introduced, debated, and approved:

  1. 2018 General Increase in Authorized Capital Stock of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the International Finance Corporation Motion, 2022;
  2. Resolution Authorizing the Ratification by Belize of the Revised Constitutive Agreement of the Mundo Maya Organization Motion, 2022;
  3. Resolution Authorizing the Accession to the Protocol and its Declarations and Regulations relating to the Madrid Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Marks Motion, 2022; and
  4. Resolution Authorizing the Accession to the American Treaty on Pacific Settlement “Pact of Bogota” Motion, 2022.

 

Also, there were five (5) Bills that were brought from the House of Representatives and passed at the Senate meeting. Those Bills are:

  1. Belize Constitution (Twelfth Amendment) Bill, 2022;
  2. Senior Courts Bill, 2022;
  3. Patents (Amendment) Bill, 2022;
  4. Non-Governmental Organisations (Amendment) Bill, 2022; and
  5. The People’s Constitution Commission Bill, 2022.

 

The meeting was adjourned at 3:01 P.M. to a date to be fixed by the President.

 

For more information on the Orders of the Day, please click the link below:

https://www.nationalassembly.gov.bz/orders-of-the-day/senate-orders-day-2022/