Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1697644037798.pdf (Belize)
BELIZE No.

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Friday, 13th November 2015 10:00 AM.

Pursuant to a Proclamation of His Excellency the Governor-General, dated the 12th day of November 2015, appointing the day for the holding of a Session of the Legislature, the House met at 10:00 in the forenoon at the Grounds of the National Assembly Building, Belmopan.

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CLERK: Good morning everyone.

Let us all stand during the reading of the Proclamation.
A Proclamation appointing a day for holding a Session of the National Assembly by His Excellency Sir Colville N. Young, G.C.M.G., M.B.E., Ph.

D., J.P. (S), Governor General of Belize.

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WHEREAS, section 83 of the Belize Constitution provides, inter alia, that there shall be a session of the National Assembly at least once in every year, and that such session shall be held at such place within Belize and shall begin at such time as the Governor-General shall appoint by proclamation published in the Gazette; AND WHEREAS, the said section 83 further provides that the first sitting of each House after the National Assembly has at any time been prorogued or dissolved shall begin at the same time; AND WHEREAS, the National Assembly was dissolved with effect from 28th September 2015, and a general election of the Members of the House of Representatives was held on the 4th November 2015; NOW, THEREFORE, I, Colville Norbert Young, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, Governor-General, in exercise of the powers conferred upon me by the abovementioned provisions of the Constitution, do hereby proclaim that a session of the National Assembly shall be held in front of the National Assembly Building, Belmopan, on Friday, the 13th November 2015; and that the first sitting of the House of Representatives and of the Senate will be held at the said venue commencing at 10:00 o’clock in the forenoon.
GIVEN under my hand and the Public Seal of Belize this 12th day of November 2015.

Please be seated.

ELECTION OF SPEAKER !

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2 CLERK: Honourable Members, I call upon this House to elect a Speaker pursuant to Standing Order No.

3.

HON.

D. O. BARROW (Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Public Service, Energy, and Public Utilities): Mr.

Clerk, I propose to the House that the Honourable Michael Peyrefitte be elected as Speaker of the House of Representatives.

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HON.

G. VEGA (Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry, the Environment and Sustainable Development): Mr.

Clerk, I second that proposal.

CLERK: Honourable Members, since there is no other nomination, I declare Honourable Michael Peyrefitte as Speaker of the House of Representatives.

I would like to ask the Honourable Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister to accompany me to fetch him.

(The Clerk left to fetch the Speaker-elect.


The Speaker-elect preceded by the Mace-Bearer and accompanied by the Sponsor on his right and the Seconder on his left, followed by the Clerk, proceeded to the Dias.)

MR. SPEAKER in the Chair.


ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER MR. SPEAKER: Honourable Members of the House of Representatives, having been informed that I am the object of choice of this Honourable House for the high and responsible office of Speaker, it is with grateful thanks that I humbly submit myself to the will of this Honourable House, whose servant I now am.

ELECTION OF DEPUTY SPEAKER MR. SPEAKER: Honourable Members, I call upon this Honourable House to elect a Deputy Speaker.

HON.
HON.

D. BARROW (Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Public Service, Energy and Public Utilities): Mr. Speaker, I propose to the House the Honourable Edmond Castro as the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.

(Applause) HON.

G. VEGA (Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry, the Environment and Sustainable Development): Mr. Speaker, I second that proposal.
MR. SPEAKER: Honourable Members, I declare the Honourable Edmond Castro as the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.

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OATH OF ALLEGIANCE CLERK: We will first administer the Oath of Allegiance to the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker and then the other Members of the House beginning with the Honourable Prime Minister.

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(Honourable Michael Peyrefitte, Speaker of the House of Representatives, first alone, took and subscribed the Oath.
Honourable Edmond Castro, Deputy Speaker, then subscribed to the Oath.

The Clerk administered the Oath of Allegiance to the rest of the following Members individually.)

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Members Present: !

The Hon.

Dean O. Barrow (Queen’s Square) Prime Minister, Minister of Finance, Public Service, Energy and Public Utilities The Hon.

Gaspar Vega (Orange Walk North), Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry, the Environment and Sustainable Development The Hon.
Erwin R. Contreras (Cayo West), Minister of Economic Development, Petroleum, Investment, Trade and Commerce The Hon.

Patrick J. Faber (Collet), Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports The Hon.

John Saldivar (Belmopan), Minister of National Security The Hon.

Michael Finnegan (Mesopotamia), Minister of Housing and Urban Development The Hon.

Manuel Heredia Jr. (Belize Rural South), Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation The Hon.
Anthony Martinez (Port Loyola), Minister of Human Development, Social Transformation and Poverty Alleviation The Hon.

Rene Montero (Cayo Central), Minister of Works, Transport and NEMO The Hon.

Wilfred P. Elrington (Pickstock), Minister of Foreign Affairs The Hon.

Pablo S. Marin (Corozal Bay), Minister of Health The Hon.

Hugo Patt (Corozal North), Minister of Labour, Local Government and Rural Development The Hon.
Edmond G. Castro (Belize Rural North), Minister of State in the Ministry of Transport and NEMO The Hon.

Dr. Omar Figueroa (Cayo North), Minister of State in the Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development The Hon.

Frank Mena (Dangriga), Minister of State in the Ministry of Public Service, Energy and Public Utilities The Hon.

Beverly Castillo (Belize Rural Central), Minister of State in the Ministry of Immigration The Hon.
Tracy Taegar-Panton (Albert), Minister of State in the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Commerce The Hon.

Elodio Aragon Jr. (Orange Walk East), Minister of State in the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports The Hon.

Dr. Angel Campos (Corozal South West), Minister of State in the Ministry of Health The Hon.

Francis Fonseca (Freetown), Leader of the Opposition The Rt.

Hon.

Said Musa (Fort George) The Hon.

John Briceño (Orange Walk Central) The Hon.

Florencio Marin Jr. (Corozal South East) The Hon.


Michael Espat (Toledo East) The Hon.

Julius Espat (Cayo South) The Hon.

Cordel Hyde (Lake Independence) The Hon.

Rodwell Ferguson (Stann Creek West) The Hon.

Oscar Requena (Toledo West) !

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The Hon.

Jose Mai (Orange Walk South) The Hon.

Kareem Musa (Caribbean Shores) The Hon.

Orlando Habet (Cayo North East) MR. SPEAKER in the Chair.

PRAYERS by Bishop Roosevelt Papouloute.


ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER MR. SPEAKER: Honourable Members, as you are all aware, His Excellency the Governor-General has been invited to attend the Sitting of the House today in order to deliver the Government Speech.

It is not necessary for me to remind you that it is the undoubted right of the House to exclude all persons from its proceeding, and I must be guided by the will of the House whose servant I am now.
Is it the will of the House that His Excellency should be admitted when he seeks entry to the House?

All those in favour, say aye.

HONOURABLE MEMBERS: Aye MR. SPEAKER: It is customary as well on the occasion of the reading of the Government Speech to invite the Senators to attend the proceedings.
If this is in accordance with your will, the Clerk of the House will be directed to convey to the Honourable President of the Senate and other Senators, for them to attend and a cordial invitation to them in your name that they should attend in order to hear the Government Speech.

Is it your will that the Senators attend?

HONOURABLE MEMBERS: Aye.

(The Clerk, having been directed, invited the President and Members of the Senate, to come to the House and be seated.
The President of the Senate and other Senators, preceded by the Clerk of the House, are seated.)

(Applause) ARRIVAL OF THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL !

(Upon his arrival to the House, His Excellency the Governor-General, was escorted to the Dais by the Speaker, the President and the Clerk.

The Honourable Prime Minister handed the Government Speech to the Governor- General.)
HIS EXCELLENCY, SIR COLVILLE N. YOUNG, G.C.M.G., M.B.E., J.P. (S): Mr. Speaker of the House of Representatives and Mr. President of the Senate, Honourable Members of the House of Representatives and the Senate, my Lord the President of the Court of Appeal and other Justices of the Court of Appeal, my Lord the Chief Justice and other Justices of the Supreme !

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Court, Excellencies of the Diplomatic Corps, other distinguished invitees, ladies and gentlemen, it is my distinct honour and privilege to open this new session of the National Assembly following the general elections on Wednesday, 4th November, 2015.

While it marks the fifth administration of the United Democratic Party, it is also the first time in post-independence Belize that a political party has been be elected to three consecutive terms in office.
(Applause) Belizeans have demonstrated once again that we are capable of working the democratic process through free, fair and peaceful elections.

It is customary in a speech of this kind to outline the Government’s projects, plans, and priorities over the next five years.

Much has been achieved during the last two terms of office.
My Government will continue to focus on policies designed to advance economic growth, social development, infrastructural expansion, strengthen national security, expand educational opportunities and improve health care, support citizen security, and foster agricultural development.

Let me now briefly highlight some of the key areas that my Government will be pursuing during the present term.
Economic Development In the past eight years, Belize has seen an unprecedented level of economic stimulation through targeted capital investment by government in infrastructure, health, education, safety and security and in programs to stimulate job creation.

In the new 2015 – 2020 term in office, the economic stimulation will continue unabated.
In the pipeline already, there is over $600 million in capital spending in all the priority areas but most importantly in areas that will result in additional economic growth and improvement in the quality of life for Belizeans.

The new term in office will see increased investments in roads, bridges, and drainage systems throughout the country.
The funding of a transportation master plan to include ports and airports will set the stage for a major improvement in connectivity for the efficient and comfortable movement of people and goods.

We will see investments in health systems, rural water and electrification, and a massive investment in education and housing, while the productive sector can expect strategic investments to support growth in agriculture, tourism, and services.
Likewise, investments in citizens’ security will go hand in hand with social programs aimed at alleviating poverty.

In driving the economy forward, my government’s economic strategy will be built on the following pillars: • Job creation through targeted investment; • Creating and maintaining a high level business climate through institutional reform; • Improved market access for exporters; • Building domestic capacity for industry growth; and • Promoting consumer protection in commerce.
Security The three security forces - the Belize Police Department, the Belize Defence Force, and the Belize National Coast Guard - witnessed significant !

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strengthening in the 2012 - 2015 term of government.

Since 2008, the Belize Police Department has grown not only in numbers but also in expertise, receiving training in the areas of intelligence, investigation, prosecution, community policing and human rights, among others.
The National Forensic Science Service saw significant capacity building, contributing significantly to crime solving efforts.

Under the United Democratic Party Government, the BDF constructed three new conservation posts along the Western Border, at Valentin Camp, Ceibo Chico, and Caracol.

Because preservation of our territorial integrity remains our foremost preoccupation, my Government will also build the Forward Operating Base on the North Bank of the Sarstoon River.
(Applause) In the 2015 - 2020 term of office, my Government will continue to expand our diplomatic ties with non-traditional partners in Asia and Africa and expand our regional and international cooperation programs to identify and implement programs and mechanisms to complement Belize’s national development priorities.

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Further, my Government will continue its active participation in the work of international organizations to ensure that Belize’s positions are included in the negotiations at the forefront of the international community such as, climate change, international trade, post 2015 development agenda, and official development assistance.

Through our embassies and consulates, Belize will increase contact with our diaspora.
Above all, my Government will ensure continued international support for Belize’s complete sovereignty over all its territory and for our efforts to live in peace with our neighbours as we work to dispense with any unfounded claim to any part of our country.

(Applause) Tourism and Culture My Government will continue to emphasize the sustainable development of the tourism industry, to create even more jobs and more foreign exchange earnings while respecting our natural and cultural resources.
During the last term of government, Government invested over $20 million in aggressive marketing, capacity building, and product development to ensure that Belize maintains a strong competitive advantage.

Government invested a further $100 million in tourism destination infrastructure projects.
My Government will continue to improve infrastructure at all archaeological reserves, develop a new underwater archaeology program, establish new archaeological reserves, establish Houses of Culture in every district, renovate the Bliss Centre for the Performing Arts building, establish a $15-million Belize City House of Culture and Downtown Rejuvenation Project, and develop a National Anthropological and Archaeological Museum in !

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Belmopan.


Agriculture and Fisheries Agriculture sustains vibrant rural communities and remains the main source of livelihood for a significant portion of Belize’s population.

In the 2015 - 2020 term of office, my Government will continue to invest in science, infrastructure, and human capital, along with better policies and stronger institutions, to facilitate new market access and take agriculture to the next level.
My Government will continue to integrate technology in agro- production and fisheries to diversify and maximize outputs and returns in sustainable ways while protecting the environment.

The foundation is laid, the table is set, and the best is yet to come.

(Applause) To ensure more sustainable yields for local fishers, my Government is finalizing the updated Fisheries Act that will effectively modernize fisheries management.
Natural Resources and Environment Belize has always been a good steward of its natural resources.

The challenge to any administration is to find the right balance between the economic development of the country, while conserving the very same natural resources upon which economic growth and development are dependent.
My Government believes that the solution lies in the development and execution of sound policies and legislation that are cross-cutting, to apply not only to natural resource industries such as agriculture, forestry, and fisheries, but also to other human development and economic areas such as health, education, urban planning, trade and investment.
My Government is proposing legislation such as Mangrove Regulations to protect the coastline from erosion, create a buffer to mitigate the impact of natural erosion, and protect critical habitats for fisheries reproduction and development.

This is aligned with the new National Protected Areas System Act that addresses the needs of people, their communities and the natural environment.
Oil and Energy My Government will achieve energy security by expanding the electrification to rural communities using renewable energy sources.

This will also ensure an improved quality of life and economic opportunities for the residents of these communities.

In partnership with the private sector, my Government will update legislation to govern renewable energy and energy efficiency with the specific objective of providing incentives for investment in green energy.

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My Government will seek to reverse the decline in oil revenues by finalizing the Petroleum Exploration Zones and Exploration Guidelines.

This will enable the Geology and Petroleum Department to attract bonafide companies through a competitive bidding round.

The objective is to increase petroleum production while adhering to strict environmental standards.

We will legislate to provide a ban on any oil exploration activities in offshore protected areas and !

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within a certain proximity to our reef.

(Applause) In the 2015 - 2020 term of office, my Government will expand science, technology and innovation to ensure that it plays a leading role in the economic development of Belize.

Health During its past term in office, my Government made quality of life for the people of Belize a top priority.
In the 2015 - 2020 term of office, my Government will launch a nationwide preventative campaign to promote healthier eating, more physical activity, less alcohol consumption.

(Applause) There will be implementation of programs and policies geared towards healthy lifestyle choices such as the provision of healthy and nutritious snacks in school feeding programs across Belize.
(Applause) The new term of office will see the construction of new hospitals in San Pedro and Punta Gorda and of a new hospital wing in Belmopan.

(Applause) New polyclinics in San Narciso and Chunox are planned in the new term.

A new building in Independence for x-ray, laboratory and pharmacy is also planned for the new term of office.

Also in the new term of my Government, more than twenty scholarships will be made available to Belizean doctors for specialization studies in El Salvador or Cuba.
In the 2015 - 2020 term, my Government will adopt a more people- centered approach to health care where mothers, fathers, and children will be the epicenter of the health system and its policies.

There will be the adoption of new technologies.

The Belize Health Information System will continue to evolve.

Education, and Youth Investment in adolescent and youth development is a primary pillar of my Government’s new 5-year development plan.
My Government is committed to the development of a national education program to meet Belize’s demands in the 21st century.

My Government will place special emphasis on the needs of our young people to ensure that they are equipped to become productive citizens.

My Government will continue to diversify the high school curriculum to include the arts, science, technology, vocational training, business, and sports.
The goal is to serve the needs and interests of students to prepare them for entry-level employment, self-employment and/or further education and training.

At the tertiary level, my Government will work with post-secondary institutions and the business and industrial sectors to develop curricula that are relevant to Belize’s economic development priorities.

(Applause) Housing and Community Development My Government has made great strides in filling the housing needs for lower and middle income families.
The Southside Poverty Alleviation Program continues to provide government-subsidized quality housing in impoverished areas.

Middle income families are benefitting from affordable housing loans and grants provided by the Development Finance Corporation and the National Bank !

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of Belize.

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In the new term of office, my Government, guided by a National Housing Policy, will continue to address housing gaps by securing even more homes for low-income families and by fostering a financial environment that enables middle income families to afford their own homes.
In its continued efforts to strengthen Belize’s social safety net, my Government has expanded the BOOST Program, a flagship accomplishment of my government, to benefit over 8,000 persons countrywide, of which 250 are children affected or infected by HIV/AIDS.

Additionally, the Food Pantry Program provides a basic food basket twice per month at half price to 17,000 individuals in 3,400 households in the Belize, Toledo and Cayo Districts.
(Applause) In the 2015 - 2020 term of office, my Government will continue the crusade to restore dignity to the lives of every Belizean and to empower citizens to be self-sufficient, responsible, and productive.

My Government will secure a higher quality of life and greater social justice for poor citizens as we build on the strong foundation my Government set in developing our greatest national asset, the Belizean people.
To support the economic and social development of the country, my Government will continue its program of improving public infrastructure by building and upgrading the nation’s network of roads, streets, bridges, canals and drains.

For the road transportation system, my Government will construct a new National Bus Terminal in Belize City, and we will enhance the safety and convenience of the traveling public by continued regulation of bus routes.
My Government will, in the new term, address the challenges of the national transportation system through the development of a Comprehensive and National Transportation Master Plan.

Infrastructure Transportation Public Utilities In its last term, my Government settled claims for both the BEL and BTL acquisitions.

These vital public utilities are now and forevermore part of the national patrimony and benefits redound to Belizeans by way of the lowest light and telecom rates ever.
(Applause) Delivery of Government Services Top on my Government’s agenda will be to introduce structural changes in order to ensure effectiveness in service delivery.

The interaction of the public with government agencies and departments must be improved to provide for a satisfactory, beneficial citizen experience.

(Applause) Mr. Speaker of the House of Representatives and Mr. President of the Senate that concludes this session’s Throne Speech.

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May I now, with your kind permission, extend my best wishes to the new Government and, indeed, to all Members of the House of Representatives and the Senate for a further term of fruitful deliberations and positive achievements for the welfare of the nation.

And since it’s just around the corner, may I stray from my script and say Happy Garifuna Settlement Day Belize.

(Applause) May God bless you all and our country, Belize.

Long live Belize!

Que viva Belize!

Thank you.


(Applause) (His Excellency Governor-General returned the speech to the Honourable Prime Minister and left escorted by the Speaker, the President and the Clerk.)

MR. SPEAKER resumed the Chair.

STATEMENTS BY MINISTERS HON.

D. O. BARROW (Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, (Applause) Thank you, Mr. Public Service, Energy and Public Utilities): Speaker.

May I begin by congratulating you on your re-election as Speaker of the House of Representatives.
We look forward to your continued sound, sober, and sometimes stern guidance which, of course, is always liabled by your tremendous sense of humor.

And I want to share with Members, our distinguished guests, the audience, that that sense of humor was on fine display this morning.

When we all went to escort the Speaker to his Chair, he suggested that we carry him.
(Applause) Mr. President of the Senate, Members of the House of Representatives and Senators, my Lord President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Manuel Sosa and Mrs. Sosa, my Lord Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin and Mrs. Benjamin, other Justices of the Court of Appeal, I see Mr. Justice Samuel Lungole Awich other Justices of the Supreme Court, my Lords the Bishop or the Auxiliary Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese, Bishop Glancy, Bishop Papouloute of the Methodist Church, and special salute to Pastor Howell Longsworth and his wife, Pastor Gladys Longsworth, Pastor Longsworth is, of course, the Acting President of the Belize Evangelical Association of Churches, Your Excellencies of the Diplomatic Corp, distinguished guests, my fellow citizens.
This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

(Applause) One of the reasons we can be particularly glad is that I see we have among us the first and two-time United Democratic Party Prime Minister, the Right Honourable Sir Manuel Esquivel, (Applause) and his wife, Lady Kathy Esquivel.
(Applause) And, indeed, Members, Senators, ladies and gentlemen, there is much to rejoice in, much to be glad for because today, this day, each of us, every single citizen, can celebrate as never before our proudest inheritance, our Belizean democracy.
(Applause) It is a democracy, as I am sure Madam Attorney General, it gives me great pleasure to be able to say that, it is a democracy that, as I am sure Madam Attorney General will agree, whose inextinguishable lineage can be traced in an almost unbroken trajectory through thousands of years.

It is a democracy that extends from the community councils of the ancient Maya to the public meetings of the Baymen, to the Courthouse Plaza mobilization of the nationalists.
And it is a democracy that once again, finds highest expression in this 8th Post-Independence Inaugural National Assembly session a session that in so !

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very many ways and for so very many reasons represents a particularly fine chapter of our electoral history.

Now you have heard the Governor General's speech on behalf of the Government.

In the aftermath of the general elections, it is His Excellency who summarizes our outlook and sets out our overview of the way ahead.
I can thus afford to be mercifully brief in my own statement and cover just a few essential things.

I first and foremost offer thanks to the citizens of Belize, the ultimate custodians of this cherished democratic legacy.

(Applause) Of course, those that voted last Wednesday, in yet another completely free, fair and peaceful plebiscite constitute the front line of the ranks to whom we are indebted.
(Applause) But, indeed, we owe gratitude to all who live here, to every man, woman and child residing in this land, making up this wonderfully organic jewel of a place we call home.

I am sure then that I talk for each Member of the House, each Senator, for the Clerk, and, Mr. Speaker, and the Honourable President, when I say to all Belizeans, simply and sincerely, thank you, gracias, seremein, bantioc, botic.
(Applause) I next must congratulate the hundreds of selfless and dedicated public servants that ran the process from start to finish and demonstrated to the international observers what we have always known: Belizean officials are past masters at operating to perfection the logistics and modalities of a general election.

(Applause) I, of course, salute all the candidates that worked so hard and sacrificed so much.
And I hope that those that weren't elected can come to feel that just participating in their country's highest democratic exercise is honour enough, (Applause) that this is the one competition about which that hoary old saying, normally uttered only as a sop to bruised egos, can contain a ring of truth, that there really is a sense in which everyone that took part is a winner.
(Applause) Now, as critical as all elections are, and this election was, what happens after the election matters just as much as what happens at the election.

The party banners are being lowered and the poster colours of red and blue and green will soon fade.

And, as we put away the paraphernalia of one 'P', it is time to embrace that other 'P', the 'P' we should value most, the ‘P’ that stands for the ‘people’.

On Wednesday, 4th November, there was a vote for action.
All of us, red and blue, were elected to look after the interests of our constituents, not our own.

And, as we focus on the future, these are the questions we must ask ourselves: !

Into what conditions are our children being born?

How are they to be nurtured in their early years?

Will they have access to the best schools and the best teachers?

What jobs and pay will their parents receive?

Are their communities getting safer and more productive?

Will their grandparents retire with dignity and respect?
And will these children inherit a nation of patriots ready to sacrifice all in the defense of national sovereignty?

For this new National Assembly there can only be one way to answer.

We must ensure and we must guarantee the progress and the commitment and the advances and the improvements that the circumstances of our people and the needs of our beloved Belize press so urgently upon us.

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Ladies and gentlemen, it is in that context that my Cabinet and I embark now on what must be a grand, revitalized enterprise of uplift, engagement and construction.

And we do so at every level of our community, every sector of our society.

There is no ambiguity about our mandate, no imbalance nationally or regionally in the support for our refreshed covenant with the people.
Thus, recharged and reinvigorated, we shall move forward with our plans and programs to raise livelihoods, expand education and health, build national infrastructure.

We shall empower the young and honour the old.

We shall grow the economy and increase business.

We shall husband the nation’s wealth and steward its resources.
Above all we shall conduct the operation of Government with integrity as we search for that spot in the affairs of this country where honesty and equality and truth and justice finally prevail.

(Applause) Let no one or let nothing hold us back, and God bless Belize!

(Applause) MOTIONS RELATING TO THE BUSINESS OR SITTINGS OF THE HOUSE HON.
D. O. BARROW (Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Public Service, Energy and Public Utilities): Mr. Speaker, I move that at its rising today, the House adjourn to a date to be fixed by the Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Honourable Members, the question is that the House at its rising today adjourn to a date to be fixed by the Speaker.

All those in favour, kindly say aye; those against, kindly say no.

I think the ayes have it.

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ADJOURNMENT HON.


D. O. BARROW (Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Public Service, Energy and Public Utilities): Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

MR. SPEAKER: Honourable Members, the question is that the House do now adjourn.

All those in favour, kindly say aye; those against, kindly say no.

I think the ayes have it The House now stands adjourned.

The House adjourned at 11:20 A.M. to a date to be fixed by the Speaker.

Speaker.

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