The Senate convened in the Chambers of the National Assembly Building in Belmopan, today, Wednesday, 28th April 2021, for a Special Sitting of the Senate. The meeting began shortly after 9:00 A.M. with a word of prayers by the Honourable Carolyn Trench-Sandiford, President of the Senate.

On the days agenda were the following:

Bills brought from the House of Representatives.

1. General Revenue Appropriation (2021/2022) Bill, 2021.

2. Time Limit for Judicial Decisions Bill, 2021.

3. Belize Constitution (Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2021.

4. Land Utilization (Amendment) Bill, 2021.

5. Supreme Court of Judicature (Amendment) Bill, 2021.

6. Court of Appeal (Amendment) Bill, 2021.

7. Court of Appeal Decisions (Validation) Bill, 2021.

8. Public Health (Amendment) (No.2) Bill, 2021.

The General Revenue Appropriation (2021/2022) Bill, 2021 was the main highlight of the day as each Senator got up and made their presentation on the Bill. A division was requested by Senator Michael Peyrefitte on the Bill, and the result was that eight (8) Senators voted “Aye”; four (4) Senators voted “No”; and one Senator (1) abstained.

· All the above-mentioned Bills were passed at today’s Sitting. 

PAPERS

4/1/14    – Draft Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for Fiscal Year 2021/2022.

5/1/14    – The Social Investment Fund of Belize – Financial Statements for the Years Ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 and Independent Auditors’ Report.

6/1/14    – The Twentieth Annual Report of the Ombudsman of Belize for the Year Ending 2020.

7/1/14    – City and Town Councils Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for Fiscal Year 2021/2022.

8/1/14    – Development Finance Corporation – Annual Report for the Year 2019.

· All the above-mentioned Papers were ordered to lie on the Table. 

MOTIONS

1. Inter-American Development Bank – Program to Support the Health Sector to Contain and Control Coronavirus and to Mitigate its effect on Service Provision (US$5.0 Million) Loan Motion, 2021.

2. Caribbean Development Bank – Philip Goldson Highway and Remate Bypass Upgrading Project (US$34,300,000.00) Loan Motion, 2021.

3. Official Charities Fund Motion, 2021.

4. Motion to Nominate Members to the Joint Public Accounts Committee of the House of Representatives, 2021.

·All the above mentioned Motions were adopted. 

On the adjournment, the Honourable Senator Peyrefitte, rose and made a short intervention indicating  the farewell of Senator Aldo Salazar as today was his last Senate Meeting that he will be attending.  The meeting was adjourned at 6:58 P.M.

 

********Kindly see  Senate Orders of the Day for additional information on the Motions.********