Parliamentary Committee
At the first business Sitting of the House of Representatives after a general election a Committee of Selection is selected by the Speaker and given the authority to select Members of all Standing Committees of the House. Presently, each Standing Committee consists of six Members, four from the ruling party and two from the Opposition party. The composition is determined by the proportion of Members represented in each political party in the House.
The Standing Committees of the House of Representatives, by nature, are creatures of the House. They undertake business on behalf of the House. The Standing Committees also have the authority to initiate their own work. They derived their powers from the House Standing Orders and they must report their findings back to the House.
The Committees consider matters that are within their terms of reference. Each Committee is afforded total independence in its deliberations and can do detailed examination on matters before it which is not possible in the Committee of the Whole House. In most cases it allows members of the public to have direct input in the process by inviting written submissions or attendance of meetings in person. A Committee may travel within Belize to hear the public’s view on a particular matter that is referred to it.
In addition to what is mentioned above, Special Committees can be appointed by order of the House with specific terms of reference. A Special Committee ceases to exist after it has completed its mandate and presented its final report to the House.
The Membership of each Standing Committee usually excludes the Prime Minister and other Cabinet Ministers who have particular interest in the work of a Committee. A Minister may choose to attend a particular meeting as an observer with the permission of the Committee and may participate in Committee debate, but does not have a right to vote.
House of Representatives Standing Order section 73 (4) states that every Member of a Standing Committee may appoint an alternative Member of the House who may attend the meetings of the Committee in the event of the inability of such Member to attend, and every alternate so appointed shall have the same power and authority (including but not limited to the right of vote) as enjoyed by the Member by whom he was so appointed. Inability in this case means that a Member is either out of the country or is ill.
Each Standing Committee must elect a Chairman at the first business meeting. In the temporary absence of the Chairman the Member next in rank in the order the names are listed shall act as Chairman but in the case of a permanent vacancy in the Chairmanship of any Committee, the Committee of Selection of the House shall recommend the appointment of a new Chairman to the House for its approval. The Chairman is responsible for maintaining order and decorum during meetings, deciding questions of procedure, and generally ensuring that the Committee’s work proceed smoothly in accordance with the Standing Orders.
The main responsibilities of a Chairman of any Standing Committee are to rule on all procedural matters, to call Committee meetings, subject to the authorization of the Committee, to sign Committee Reports and present them to the House. The contents of Committee’s Reports are privileged, and therefore they are kept confidential until the Report is made public by presenting it to the House.
Standing Committees of the House of Representatives
Finance and Economic Development Committee
The Finance and Economic Development Committee was re-established by a Statutory Instrument No. 115 of 1998. The said Committee has six Members. Two of the Members of the Finance and Economic Committee are Members who do not support the Government.
Subjects that are referred to the Finance and Economic Development Committee are matters dealing with taxation and fiscal matters; banking, currency and insurance; customs, excise, imports and exports; exchange control; salaries, pensions and provident funds; public debt and public loans; economic development; and any other matter assigned under the Constitution to the Minister responsible for Finance or to the Minister responsible for Budget Planning and Management and Economic Development in their capacity as such Ministers.
Public Utilities, Transport and Communications Committee
The Public Utilities, Transport and Communications Committee was re-established by a Statutory Instrument No. 115 of 1998. The said Committee has six Members. Two of the Members of the Public Utilities, Transport and Communications Committee are Members who do not support the Government.
Subjects that are referred to the Public Utilities, Transport and Communications Committee are matters relating to public utilities, transport, communications and any other matters assigned under the Constitution to the Minister responsible for Public Utilities, Transport and Communications.
Health and Human Development Committee, including Rural Development and Culture
The Health and Human Development Committee, including Rural Development and Culture, was re-established by a Statutory Instrument No. 115 of 1998. The said Committee has six Members. Two of the Members of the Health and Human Development Committee are Members who do not support the Government.
Subjects that are referred to the Health and Human Development Committee are matters assigned under the Constitution to the Minister responsible for Health and to the Minister responsible for Human Development, Women, Youth, Rural Development and Culture.
Education, Sports and Housing Committee
The Education, Sports and Housing Committee was re-established by a Statutory Instrument No. 115 of 1998. The said Committee has six Members. Two of the Members of the Education, Sports and Housing Committee are Members who do not support the Government.
Subjects that are referred to the Education, Sports and Housing Committee are matters assigned under the Constitution to the Minister responsible for Education and Sports and to the Minister responsible for Housing.
Constitution and Foreign Affairs, Privileges, Standing Orders, House and Regulations Committee
The Constitution and Foreign Affairs Committee was re-established by a Statutory Instrument No. 115 of 1998. The said Committee has six Members. Two of the Members of the Constitution and Foreign Affairs Committee are Members who do not support the Government.
Subjects that are referred to the Constitution and Foreign Affairs Committee are matters relating to the Constitution; civil liabilities and administration of justice; legal affairs; relations of Belize with the Commonwealth countries and foreign countries; international conferences; and foreign representation. Other subjects that are referred to the Constitution and Foreign Affairs Committee are matters which appear to affect the powers or privileges of the House; Standing Orders of the House; Order of Business of the House; recesses and adjournments of the House; matters relating to the remuneration and allowances and the comfort and convenience of Members of the House; employment of officers and other persons by the House; and all such orders, rules, regulations and by-laws which are required by any law to be laid before the House.
The Committee shall bring to the attention of the House any order, rule, regulation or by-law, which involves the expenditure of public moneys or imposes or fixes fees for licences or for services; which cannot be challenged in the Courts on the ground that it is ultra vires, or is only temporarily so challengeable; the making of which appears to constitute an unusual or unexpected use of the powers conferred by the law under which it was made; which purports to have retroactive effect although the law under which it was made does not in terms give the Minister such a power; the publication or the laying before the House of which appears to have been unduly delayed; or the purport or form of which appears to require elucidation.
Works Committee
The Works Committee, which is a current Standing Committee of the House of Representatives, was constituted by Statutory Instrument No. 115 of 1998. The said Committee has six Members. Two of the Members of the Works Committee are Members who do not support the Government.
Subjects that are referred to the Works Committee are matters relating to Public works and all other matters assigned under the Constitution to the Minister responsible for Works.
Public Service, Labour, Industry and Trade Committee
The Public Service, Labour, Industry and Trade Committee was constituted by Statutory Instrument No. 115 of 1998. The said Committee has six Members. Two of the Members of the Public Service, Labour, Industry and Trade Committee are Members who do not support the Government.
Subjects that referred to the Public Service, Labour, Industry and Trade Committee are issues relating to Public Service, Labour matters, Trade, Industry and Commerce, Home affairs, Local Government and any other subjects assigned under the Constitution to the Minister responsible for Industry and Commerce, Public Service and Labour.
Natural Resources and the Environment Committee
The Natural Resources and the Environment Committee was constituted by Statutory Instrument No. 115 of 1998. The said Committee has six Members. Two of the Members of the Natural Resources and the Environment Committee are Members who do not support the Government.
Subjects that are referred to the Natural Resources and the Environment Committee are matters assigned under the Constitution to the Minister responsible for Natural Resources and the Environment.
National Security and Immigration Committee
The National Security and Immigration Committee was constituted by Statutory Instrument No. 115 of 1998. The said Committee has six Members. Two of the Members of the National Security and Immigration Committee are Members who do not support the Government.
Subjects that are referred to the National Security and Immigration Committee are matters assigned under the under the Constitution to the Minister responsible for National Security and Immigration.
Agriculture and Fisheries Committee
The Agriculture and Fisheries Committee was constituted by Statutory Instrument No. 115 of 1998. The said Committee has six Members. Two of the Members of the Agriculture and Fisheries Committee are Members who do not support the Government.
Subjects that are referred to the Agriculture and Fisheries Committee are matters assigned under the Constitution to the Minister responsible for Agriculture and Fisheries and Cooperatives.
Public Accounts Committee
The Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee is chosen from among Members who do not support the Government (except at times when there is no such Member.)
The Public Accounts Committee has the duty of examining, considering and reporting on the accounts showing the appropriation of the sums granted by the National Assembly to meet the public expenditure of the country; such other accounts as may be referred to the Committee by the House or under any Law; and the report of the Auditor General on any such accounts.
Tourism, Archaeology and Information Committee
The Tourism, Archaeology and Information Committee was constituted by Statutory Instrument No. 115 of 1998. The said Committee has six Members. Two of the Members of the Tourism, Archaeology and Information Committee are Members who do not support the Government.
Standing Order 73(4) of the House of Representatives states that “Every Member of a Standing Committee may appoint an alternative Member of the House who may attend the meetings of the Committee in the event of the inability of such Member to attend, and every alternate so appointed shall have the same power and authority (including but not limited to the right of vote) as enjoyed by the Member by whom he was so appointed”.
Subjects that are referred to the Tourism, Archaeology and Information Committee are matters relating to Archaeology, Salvaging of Wrecks, all matters related to Tourism, Information and Broadcasting.
Ombudsman Reports Committee
The Ombudsman Reports Committee was constituted by Statutory Instrument No. 8 of 2000. The Committee has six Members. Two of the Members of the Ombudsman Reports Committee are Members who do not support the Government.
Standing Order 73(4) of the House of Representatives states that “Every Member of a Standing Committee may appoint an alternative Member of the House who may attend the meetings of the Committee in the event of the inability of such Member to attend, and every alternate so appointed shall have the same power and authority (including but not limited to the right of vote) as enjoyed by the Member by whom he was so appointed”.
Subjects that are referred to the Ombudsman Reports Committee relate to the Reports by the Ombudsman made under the Ombudsman Act and any other matters incidental to or connected with.