HISTORIC BILLS READ AT HOUSE SITTING

On Friday, 19th May 2023, Honourable Members met in the National Assembly Chamber, in Belmopan for a Sitting of the House of Representatives which began around ten thirty-seven a.m.

A total of six (6) Sessional Papers were presented and ordered to be laid on the Tabled. Along with reports from the Finance and Economic Development Committee a total tabled was seven. The Constitution and Foreign Affairs Committee Reports were ordered to be laid on the table. The Leader of the Opposition Moses ‘Shyne’ Barrow posted two questions to the government side.

For this Sitting of the House of Representatives, a total of seven (7) Bills were introduced between the Honourable Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Economic Development and the Honourable Minister of Home Affairs and New Growth Industries, namely: Belize Companies (Amendment) Bill, 2023; Financial Intelligence Unit (Amendment) Bill, 2023; Insurance Bill, 2023; Civil Asset Recovery

1st Female Contractor General and 1st Port Authority Commissioner

“PlanBelize Commitment”

On May 25, 2023, Ms. Maria Arthurs was officially sworn in as the new Contractor General before H.E. Dame Froyla Tzalam, Governor General of Belize.

Prime Minister Hon. John Briceño announced Ms. Arthurs’ appointment at the Sitting of the House of Representatives on April 23. Her appointment is for a period of three years, effective June 1.

Ms. Arthurs succeeds Mr. Omar Mitchell, who held the post since February 2020.

Ms. Darlin Gaitan has also made history in her own right after being appointed as Belize Ports Authority Commissioner. Both she and Ms. Arthurs are breaking new ground in a Belize that this new PUP government has pledged to make an all-inclusive and gender fair administration.

It cannot go unheralded that the Briceño administration following through with the commitments in planBelize Women’s agenda point number 6: Guarantee the equitable participation of women in leadership and governance. The appointment of Maria Arthurs and Darlin Gaitan keeps the trend of the Briceño administration of placing women in key positions of leadership. These were the best candidates for the post and they got it. That is equal opportunity.

and Unexplained Wealth Bill, 2023; International Limited Liability Companies (Amendment) Bill, 2023; Lotteries Control (Amendment) Bill, 2023; and Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Bill, 2023. Of these, only the Lotteries Control (Amendment) Bill, 2023, was the only Bill introduced and taken through all its stages.

Of the ten (10) Bills that went through all their stages, the Credit Unions (Amendment) Bill, 2023 and Money Laundering and Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Bill, 2023 were passed with amendments. The following Bills were passed without amendment: Central Bank of Belize (Amendment) Bill, 2023; Domestic Banks and Financial Institutions (Amendment) Bill, 2023; International Banking (Amendment) Bill, 2023; Moneylenders (Amendment) Bill, 2023; National Payment System (Amendment) Bill, 2023; Lotteries Control (Amendment) Bill, 2023; Law Revision (Amendment) Bill, 2023; and Special Prosecutor Bill, 2023.

The three of the most important bills that came out of the House Meeting were the $90 Million from Saudi Arabia to construct a hospital in Belmopan, Asset Recovery Bill and the Government Lotteries Bill.

The government of Belize is preparing to construct a ninety-million-dollar, tertiary-level, hospital in Belmopan. The funds for the construction of the state-of-the-art facility are being provided by the Saudi Fund for Development through a loan at a two percent concessionary rate. Prime Minister John Briceño explained the need for the construction of the hospital during today’s sitting.

Prime Minister John Briceño “Belize’s national referral hospital, the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital was built over thirty years ago, in addition to serving as a national referral hospital, the KHMH serves as a regional hospital. While we continue to commend the excellent work being carried out by the fine doctor, nurses and other healthcare professionals at KHMH. I don’t think anyone needs to be convinced that the KHMH is no longer at its best to meet increasing demands at both national and regional level. In spite of its age, KHMH remains the best hospital we have in Belize offering the most extensive care service we have in the country. Similarly, the Belmopan hospital was contracted over fifty years ago and despite renovations and additions over the years it too is no longer in any shape to meet the growing demands of the central region. Today, roughly nine months after formalizing establishing diplomatic relations with the king-

Continued on page 9