Friday, 10th March 2023, Members of the House of Representatives gathered in the National Assembly Chamber, Belmopan for a Sitting of the House of Representatives. This is on the occasion of the presentation of the National budget of our country. The meeting commenced at 10:25 A.M. with the Belizean National Prayer offered by Pastor Kenrick Fransico.
Thereafter, in an announcement the Honourable Valerie Woods, Speaker of the House of Representatives, gave welcoming remarks to all Members of the House of Representatives who were present.
The Honourable Speaker Woods then indicated that today is the second Friday of Women’s Month, two days after the International Day of Women which then allowed her to reflect on the significance of the month of March for Women and especially Belizean Women. In her reflection, the Honourable Speaker Woods acknowledged that since Belize’s Independence in September 1981, there have been 12 Presiding Officers, her being the fourth Woman Presiding Officer for the House of Representatives. The Honourable Speaker Woods further went on to mention the average share of Women Speakers in parliament is approximately 22.7% according to the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s review for the year 2022 on Women in Parliament, however, that figure is lower than the Global Women’s Representation in parliament which is approximately 26.5%. Speaker Woods went on to mention that six countries so far have achieved gender parity as of January 1st 2023.
The Honourable Speaker Woods shared that it has been 69 years since women gained the right to vote. And since then, the House of Representatives has never had more than 4 women elected at a time. The Honourable Gwendolyn Lizarraga is the first Belizean woman to run and won in an election seven years after women received the right to vote. Considering that women make up roughly about 50% of Belize’s population, and it took about 67 years to have 4 women elected to the House of Representatives, there is a strong belief that much more progress can be made when it comes to woman’s while also recognizing the efforts of the Belize Women Parliamentarian Caucus. This then led to Honourable Speaker Woods acknowledging and celebrating all Women Parliamentarians of the House of Representatives and the National Assembly.
Moving on, Honourable Speaker Woods addressed several women present in the galleries such as the Special Envoy and First Lady Mrs. Rosana Briceño, Women Officials from NCFC, Ms. Seidi Quetzal who is an Activist, along with CEOs from the various Ministries/Department. Amongst the invited guests were 4th Form students from the Belmopan Comprehensive School along with some teachers. Representatives from the Ministry of Health and any other women witnessing whether in the gallery or from the live broadcast.
Before going to the business of the meeting, Honourable Speaker Woods thanked all the women for attending and encouraged them to attend future meetings, recognized the role Belizean women play in helping to shape Belize’s democracy and development, and paid tribute to a significant month.
The first order of Business was the Honourable Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Economic Development, and Investment moved that the House of Representatives adopted the Amendments to the Financial Services Commission Bill, 2023, sent by the Senate.
Next, was the Honourable Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Economic Development, and Investment presenting and laid on the Table of the House of Representatives TWO (2) Sessional Papers:
No. HR150/1/13 – Draft Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for Fiscal Year 2023/2024.
No. HR150A/1/13 – Annual Report 2020 – Office of the Supervisor of Insurance and Private Pension, Ministry of Finance.
Thereafter was the presentation of Reports from the various Committees, the Finance and Economic Development Committee presented and laid on the Table Reports as follows:
No. HR151/1/13 – Report from the Finance and Economic Development Committee on the Money Laundering and Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Bill, 2023.
No. HR157/1/13 – Report from the Finance and Economic Development Committee on the Caribbean Development Bank – Belize Resilience Programme – B Resilient Loan Motion, 2023.
No. HR158/1/13 – Report from the Finance and Economic Development Committee on the Caribbean Development Bank – Belize Social Investment Fund III – Additional Loan, Loan Motion, 2023.
Following, the Constitution and Foreign Affairs Committee presented and laid on the Table Report as follows:
No. HR152/1/13 – Report from the Constitution and Foreign Affairs Committee on the Senior Courts (Amendment) Bill, 2023.
No. HR153/1/13 – Report from the Constitution and Foreign Affairs Committee on the Extradition Bill, 2023.
No. HR154/1/13 – Report from the Constitution and Foreign Affairs Committee on the Legal Aid Bill, 2023.
Afterward, the National Security and Immigration Committee presented and laid on the Table Report as follows:
No. HR155/1/13 – Report from the National Security and Immigration Committee on the Caribbean Community (Free Movement of Skilled Persons) (Amendment) Bill, 2023.
No. HR156/1/13 – Report from the National Security and Immigration Committee on the Immigration (Amendment) Bill, 2023.
The most anticipating part was the Introduction of Bills, The Honourable Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Economic Development, and Investment rose and introduced the General Revenue (2023/2024) Bill, 2023, and after doing so he delivered his Budget Speech for Fiscal Year 2023/2024 where he shared “Delivering on #Plan Belize”. (Kindly see link with budget speech)
Following the Budget Speech were the following additional Bills for introduction:
- Customs Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2023;
- Non-Profit Organisations Bill, 2023; and
- Supplies Control (Amendment) Bill, 2023. (This Bill was presented by the Prime Minister on behalf of the Honourable Minister of Agriculture, Food Security, & Enterprise
Up next were Motions, the House of Representatives introduced THREE (3) Motions as follows:
- Caribbean Development Bank – Belize Resilience Programme – B Resilient Loan Motion, 2023.
- Caribbean Development Bank – Belize Social Investment Fund III – Additional Loan, Loan Motion, 2023.
(Both CDB Loan Motions were introduced and approved on that day.)
- Official Charities Fund Motion, 2023. (This motion was referred to the Committee of Supply for examination, consideration and report.
Finally, there were SIX (6) Bills that were listed for Second and Third Reading of those 6 Bills only (5) were approved.
- Caribbean Community (Free Movement of Skilled Persons) (Amendment) Bill, 2023.
- Immigration (Amendment) Bill, 2023.
- Senior Courts (Amendment) Bill, 2023.
- Extradition Bill, 2023. (This Bill was approved with amendments.)
- Legal Aid Bill, 2023 (This Bill was approved with amendments.)
NOTE:
- The Money Laundering and Terrorism (Prevention)(Amendment) Bill, 2023 was listed for Second reading but was deferred until a further date.
The Sitting concluded at 4:44 P.M.
For further information on the Orders of the Day, please click the link below:
https://www.nationalassembly.gov.bz/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Orders-of-the-Day-March-10-2023.pdf
https://www.nationalassembly.gov.bz/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Supplementary-March-10-2023.pdf
https://www.nationalassembly.gov.bz/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Supplementary-March-10-2023-2.pdf
For access to the Prime Minister’s Budget Presentation Speech, please see the link below:
For access to the live broadcast of the meeting, please see the link below:
https://www.youtube.com/live/4TJfW2xmrhM?feature=share
