Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1697643522236.pdf (Belize)
BELIZE No.

HR 26/1/11 !

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Thursday, 26th March 2015 10:18 AM.

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Pursuant to the Order of the House on the 13th March 2015, the House met on Thursday, 26th March 2015, in the National Assembly Chamber, Belmopan, at 10:18 AM.

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Members Present: !

The Hon.

Michael Peyrefitte, Speaker The Hon.

Dean O. Barrow (Queen’s Square), Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and Economic Development The Hon.
Gaspar Vega (Orange Walk North), Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Natural Resources and Agriculture The Hon.

Erwin R. Contreras (Cayo West), Minister of Trade, Investment Promotion, Private Sector Development and Consumer Protection The Hon.

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

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

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

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

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

Rene Montero (Cayo Central), Minister of Works and Transport The Hon.
Edmond G. Castro (Belize Rural North), Minister of State in the Ministry of Works and Transport, Deputy Speaker The Hon.

Santino Castillo (Caribbean Shores), Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development The Hon.

Hugo Patt (Corozal North), Minister of State in the Ministry of Natural Resources and Agriculture The Hon.

Herman Longsworth (Albert), Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports The Hon.
Mark King (Lake Independence), Minister of State in the Ministry of Human Development, Social Transformation and Poverty Alleviation The Hon.

Dr. Omar Figueroa (Cayo North), Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister The Hon.

Elvin Penner (Cayo North East) 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) !

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Michael Espat (Toledo East) The Hon.

Dolores Balderamos Garcia (Belize Rural Central) The Hon.

Rodwell Ferguson (Stann Creek West) The Hon.

Julius Espat (Cayo South) The Hon.

Oscar Requena (Toledo West) The Hon.

Ivan Ramos (Dangriga) The Hon.

Jose Mai (Orange Walk South) The Hon.

Ramiro Ramirez (Corozal South West) Members Absent: !

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The Hon.

Michael Finnegan (Mesopotamia), Minister of Housing and Urban Development The Hon.
Marco Tulio Mendez (Orange Walk East) MR. SPEAKER in the Chair.

PRAYERS by Pastor Conrad Arzu ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER !

Mr. Speaker made the following announcement: !

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“Honourable Members, please allow me to make two acknowledgements.

I would like to acknowledge some students here all the way from Corozal, from the Corozal Community College , they are here to observe the budget debates and I hope we don’t disappoint them over the next two days or if just for the day that they are here today.
So welcome students from Corozal Community College (CCC).

Enjoy and learn.

Thanks for coming.

Secondly, Honourable Members, if some of us may notice the glaring absence of our beloved colleague from Mesopotamia.

I would like to take this opportunity to say to the Finnegan’s and Myvett’s family our condolences for the passing of his mother.

The Minister of Housing has indicated to me today, and yesterday as well, that he would not be attending the debate, we’ll surely miss him.
I ask all of you to keep him in our prayers, and to wish the family well during their time of bereavement.” With the permission of the Honourable Speaker, The Honourable Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Economic Development made the following announcement: “Mr.

Speaker, if you would allow me, simply to join you in offering !

condolences to the Minister of Housing, the Honourable Member for Mesopotamia.
As most people in this House will know Minister Finnegan and I have been friends from our teenage years which is a long, long, long time ago.

It means that I have known his mother, Ms. Esmay, for those very many years, and in fact there is another dimension to the connection.

She is the grandmother of my eldest child.

I therefore, feel her death personally as well as, of course, very much so on behalf of her son, our colleague and her other children.
She was a fine lady, at all strength tremendous mother, and wife, and certainly a sort of the earth !

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So I’m grateful to you for allowing me to associate myself with the condolences you expressed on behalf of the entire Chamber.

Thank you.” !

PRESENTATION OF REPORT FROM SELECT COMMITTEE The Honourable Chairman of the Finance and Economic Development !

Committee: !

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Committee: !

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HR264/1/11 - Report from the Finance and Economic Development Committee on the Alba Petrocaribe Belize Energy Limited Loan Motion, 2015.

Report was ordered to lie on the Table.

INTRODUCTION OF BILL !

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Petrocaribe Loans Bill, 2015. !


The Honourable Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Economic Development introduced the above-mentioned Bill:- Bill for an Act to make special provisions for borrowing money from Alba Petrocaribe (Belize Energy) Limited; and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

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Cabinet's recommendation signified by the Minister.
Bill read a first time and ordered to be printed, and pursuant to Standing Orders, referred to the Finance and Economic Development Committee for examination, consideration and report.

In accordance with Standing Orders 49(1), the Honourable Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Economic Development moved that the next stages of the Bill be taken forthwith.

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After the debate thereon, question put and agreed to.
MOTIONS RELATING TO THE BUSINESS OR SITTINGS OF THE HOUSE The Honourable Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Economic Development moved that at its rising today, the House adjourn to Friday, 27th March 2015, at 10:00 AM.

Question put and agreed to.

ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER Mr. Speaker made the following announcement: !

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“Honourable Members, it has been agreed that the Petrocaribe Loan Bill, !

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2015, pass this day.

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As you are well aware, under Standing Order No.

74, all proposed Legislation, Messages, Petitions, Motions and other matters relating to the subject mentioned under the title of each Standing Committee shall be referred by the House to such Committee for examination, consideration and report to the House.
The only logical way for this to be done, other than by suspension of Standing Orders, is for me to suspend the Sitting to enable the Finance and Economic Development Committee to examine, consider and report to the House on the Bill.” Question put and agreed to.

The Sitting was therefore suspended until the Finance and Economic Development Committee concluded its business.!

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Sitting suspends at10:37 A.M. !

Sitting resumes at 10:50 A.M. !

PRESENTATION OF REPORT FROM SELECT COMMITTEE !


The Honourable Chairman of the Finance and Economic Development Committee:- No.

HR265/1/11 - Report from the Finance and E c o n o m i c D e v e l o p m e n t Committee on the Petrocaribe Loans Bill, 2015. !

After a brief intervention by the Honourable John Briceño, report was ordered to lie on the Table.

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PUBLIC BUSINESS Government Business !


ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER Mr. Speaker made the following announcement: “Honourable Members, the debate on the second reading of the General Revenue Appropriation (2015/2016) Bill, 2015, is about to be resumed.

Before we begin, I should like to draw Honourable Members’ attention to Standing Order No.
64, ‘Presentation and the second reading of the Appropriation Bill’, especially paragraph 5 which reads: ‘After the Motion for the second reading of the Appropriation Bill has been resumed, under paragraph 4 of this Standing Order, the debate shall be confined to the financial and economic state of the country and the general principles of Government policy and administration as indicated by the Appropriation Bill and the Estimates.’ Please !

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5 remember I have to listen to thirty-one of you.

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Members are therefore asked to confine their debate within the prescribed limits of the Standing Order.

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I would like to remind Honourable Members of other parts of Standing Orders, specifically Standing Order No.

42 (b), which states that an Honourable Member shall maintain silence while another Member is speaking, and shall not Honourable interrupt, except in accordance with these Standing Orders.
Members are fully aware of the need for the Chair to voice this at this moment in time.

I would also like to remind visitors in the Galleries that they must preserve silence and must conduct themselves in a fit and proper manner during a Sitting.

We now have the resumption of the debate on the General Revenue Appropriation (2015/2016) Bill, 2015.” !

(Resumption of the debate on the General Revenue Appropriation (2015/2016) Bill, 2015.)
(Suspension of the debate on the General Revenue Appropriation (2015/2016) Bill, 2015.)

In accordance with Standing Order 12 (8), the Honourable Prime Minister and Minister of Finance moved that the proceedings on the matter on the Order Paper be entered upon and proceeded with at the Sitting at any hour though opposed.

Question put and agreed to.

(Resumption of the debate on the General Revenue Appropriation (2015/2016) Bill, 2015.)
During the course of the day, Mr. Speaker, announced that the Sitting scheduled for 27/3/15 will commenced at 9:00 A.M. instead of 10:00 A.M. as agreed earlier.

Meeting suspended at 5:55 PM to Friday, 27th March 2015, at 9:00 AM.

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Friday, 27th March 2015 !

8:55 AM.

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Members Present: The Hon.

Michael Peyrefitte, Speaker The Hon.

Dean O. Barrow (Queen’s Square), Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and Economic Development The Hon.
Gaspar Vega (Orange Walk North), Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of !

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Erwin R. Contreras (Cayo West), Minister of Trade, Investment Promotion, Private Sector Development and Consumer Protection The Hon.

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

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

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

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

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

Edmond G. Castro (Belize Rural North), Minister of State in the Ministry of Works and Transport, Deputy Speaker The Hon.
Santino Castillo (Caribbean Shores), Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development The Hon.

Hugo Patt (Corozal North), Minister of State in the Ministry of Natural Resources and Agriculture The Hon.

Herman Longsworth (Albert), Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports The Hon.

Mark King (Lake Independence), Minister of State in the Ministry of Human Development, Social Transformation and Poverty Alleviation The Hon.
Dr. Omar Figueroa (Cayo North) Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister The Hon.

Elvin Penner (Cayo North East) The Hon.

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

John Briceño (Orange Walk Central) The Hon.

Michael Espat (Toledo East) The Hon.

Dolores Balderamos Garcia (Belize Rural Central) The Hon.

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

Rodwell Ferguson (Stann Creek West) The Hon.

Julius Espat (Cayo South) The Hon.

Oscar Requena (Toledo West) The Hon.


Ivan Ramos (Dangriga) The Hon.

Jose Mai (Orange Walk South) The Hon.

Ramiro Ramirez (Corozal South West) Members Absent: The Hon.

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

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

Hon.

Said Musa (Fort George) The Hon.

Marco Tulio Mendez (Orange Walk East) !

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MR. SPEAKER in the Chair.

PRAYERS by Pastor Conrad Arzu Sitting resumed at 8:55 AM.

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7 (Resumption of the debate on the General Revenue Appropriation (2015/2016) Bill, 2015.)

(Suspension of the debate on the General Revenue Appropriation (2015/2016) Bill, 2015.)

In accordance with Standing Order 12 (8), the Honourable Prime Minister and Minister of Finance moved that the proceedings on the matter on the Order Paper be entered upon and proceeded with at the Sitting at any hour though opposed.

Question put and agreed to.


(Resumption of the debate on the General Revenue Appropriation (2015/2016) Bill, 2015.)

After debate thereon, question put and agreed to.

Bill read a second time and pursuant to Standing Orders, committed to a Committee of Supply.

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I COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY Pursuant to Standing Orders, the House resolved itself into a Committee of Supply and the Speaker ordered the withdrawal of visitors from the galleries.

The House suspended.

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The Honourable Dean Barrow (Minister of Finance and Economic Development) in the Chair.

1.

General Revenue Appropriation (2015/2016) Bill, 2015.

Schedule agreed to as follows: HEAD OF EXPENDITURE R E C U R R E N T 2015/2016 ( P A R T PROPOSED ESTIMATES 1 ) BZ o f 11017-11021 11 O f f i c e 416,700 12017-12138 12 Judiciary 8,910,558 e i 13017-13048 13 L 2,596,335 G o v e r n o r - G e n e r a l t h e g u e a s r t l !

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8 Boundaries 14017-14148, 14 Ministry of Public Service and Elections 17048 15017-15021 15 D i r e c t o r 2,294,836 16017-16028 16 A u d i t o r 2,351,200 17017, 25021, 31048 17 Office of the Prime Minister P u b l i c o f 14,022,377 P r o s e c u t i o n s G e n e r a l o f H e a l t h 5,388,548 18017-18465 18 Ministry of Finance and Economic 32017 Development 241,541,904 19017-19288, 19 M i n i s t r y 114,401,112 30241 20017-20169 20 Attorney General’s Ministry and Ministry 31017-31031 of Foreign Affairs 21017-21786 21 M i n i s t r y o f E d u c a t i o n , Y o u t h 234,344,353 25051-25081 28017-22131, 22 Ministry of Forestry, Fisheries and 6,902,272 23178-23338 22017-22086 23 Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and 22121, 22158 23017-23166 23348, 23358 23378, 26711 24017, 28048 24 Ministry of Trade, Investment Promotion, 32028 Ministry of Natural Resources and Agriculture Sustainable Development Private Sector Development and Consumer Protection Sports 15,778,189 4,491,904 21,616,503 a n d o f T o u r i s m a n d C u l t u r e Transformation and Poverty Alleviation 14058, 25017 25 M i n i s t r y 5,582,175 27017-27161, 27 Ministries of Human Development and Social 14,745,294 27181-27231, 30451 26088-29017, 29 Ministry of Works and Transport 18,678,188 29198-33157 33228 30021-30498, 30 Ministry of Nationality Security 130,897,286 33021 33017, 33051 33 Ministry of Housing and Urban Development 1,682,061 17028, 18448, 35 Ministry of Labour, Local Government, Rural 24,551,595 26031, 33091- 33146, 30258-
 30446, 34048- 34081, 35017, 35037 23308, 36017 37 Ministry of Energy, Science and Technology 2,323,417 Development, National Emergency Management Immigration and Nationality !
9 and Public Utilities TOTAL RECURRENT (PART 1) 873,516,809 PROPOSED ESTIMATES CAPITAL II (PART 11) 2015/2016 BZ 11 O f f i c e o f t h e G o v e r n o r - G e n e r a l 15,137 12 J u d i c i a r y 87,576 13 Legislature 10,500 14 Ministry of Public Service and Elections and 215,700 15 16 o f Boundaries D i r e c t o r 52,100 A u d i t o r 26,002 Office of the Prime Minister P u b l i c P r o s e c u t i o n s G e n e r a l 17 169,000 18 36,192,687 19.
Ministry of Health 4,444,440 355,000 20.

Attorney’s General’s Ministry and Ministry of Foreign Affairs 21 Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports 4,717,249 22 Ministry of Forestry, Fisheries and Sustainable 961,024 Development 23 Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Ministry 13,979,156 of Natural Resources and Agriculture 24.
Ministry of Trade, Investment Promotion, Private 665,450 Sector Development and Consumer Protection 25 Ministry of Tourism and Culture 851,021 27 Ministry of Human Development & Social Transformation and Poverty Alleviation 29 Ministry of Works and Transport 20,215,000 30 Ministry of National Security 9,788,794 2,077,228 33 M i n i s t r y o f H o u s i n g & U r b a n D e v e l o p m e n t 612,000 35 Ministry of Labour, Local Government and Rural 1,569,200 Development, National Emergency Management and Nationality 37 Ministry of Energy, Science and Technology and 780,910 Public Utilities !
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10 TOTAL CAPITAL II (PART II) 97,785,174 !

PROPOSED ESTIMATES CAPITAL III (PART 111) 2015/2016 BZ Judiciary 12 150,000 18 Ministry of Finance and Economic Development 21,692,108 19.

Ministry of Health 1,291,761 Attorney General’s Ministry and Ministry of 20 1,400,000 Foreign Affairs Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports 1,500,000 21 22 Ministry of Forestry, Fisheries and Sustainable 4,400,000 Development 23.
Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of 18,298,259 Natural Resources and Agriculture 25 Ministry of Tourism and Culture and Civil Aviation 1,700.000 27 M i n i s t r y o f H u m a n D e v e l o p m e n t , S o c i a l 2,760,820 Transformation and Poverty Alleviation 29 Ministry of Works and Transport 40, 600,000 37 Ministry of Energy, Science and Technology and 575,000 Public Utilities TOTAL CAPITAL III (PART 111) 94,367,948 !
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CAPITAL TRANSFERS AND NET LENDING (PART IV) !

18 M i n i s t r y BZ F i n a n c e o f 2,595,677 !

TOTAL CAPITAL TRANSFER AND NET LENDING (PART IV) 2,595,677 __________________________________________________________________ _ AMORTIZATION (PART V) 18 M i n i s t r y o f F i n a n c e 85,975,936 TOTAL AMORTIZATION (PART V) 85,975,936 GRAND TOTAL 1,154,241,544 __________________________________________________________________ !

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Clauses 1 to 3 agreed to.

Bill to be reported back to the House without amendment.

2.

Official Charities Fund Motion, 2015.

The Honourable Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Economic Development moved: BE IT RESOLVED THAT this House approves the expenditure of $2,352,589 from the Official Charities Fund as detailed in Appendix A of the Draft Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for the year ending 31st March 2016. !
Question put and agreed to.

The Chairman left the Chair.

MR. SPEAKER in the Chair.

REPORT AND THIRD READING OF GENERAL REVENUE APPROPRIATION (2015/2016) BILL, 2015 1.

General Revenue Appropriation (2015/2016) Bill, 2015.

The Honourable Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Economic Development reported that the Committee of Supply had gone through the Bill clause by clause, and directed him to report same without amendment.

Whereupon, the Prime Minister moved that the Bill be read a third time.
Question put and agreed to.

Bill read a third time.

II MOTIONS 1.

Alba Petrocaribe Belize Energy Limited Loan Motion, 2015.
(referred 13th March 2015) The Honourable Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Economic Development, with the permission of the Speaker not to repeat the recitals, moved: NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that this Honourable House, being satisfied that the loan proceeds from APBEL, on the terms and conditions set out above, would greatly assist the GOB in achieving the aforesaid purposes, confirms and validates the borrowing by the GOB from APBEL of the total sum of US$28,776,243.39 during the period !
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12 September 2014 to February 2015.

Question put and agreed to.

Official Charities Fund Motion, 2015.

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(referred 13th March 2015) The Honourable Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Economic Development moved: BE IT RESOLVED THAT this House approves the expenditure of $2,352,589 from the Official Charities Fund as detailed in Appendix A of the Draft Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for the year ending 31st March 2016.

Question put and agreed to.

III BILL FOR SECOND READING !

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Petrocaribe Loans Bill, 2015. !

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The Honourable Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Economic Development moved that the above-mentioned Bill be read a second time: Bill for an Act to make special provisions for borrowing money from Alba Petrocaribe (Belize Energy) Limited; and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

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After debate thereon question put and agreed to.


Bill accordingly, read a second time and, pursuant to Standing Orders, committed to a Committee of the whole House.

IV COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE HOUSE ON BILL !

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Pursuant to Standing Orders, the House, without question put, resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House to consider the Bill that was read a second time and Mr. Speaker left the chair.

[In the Committee] The Deputy Speaker in the Chair.

1.

Petrocaribe Loans Bill, 2015.


The Preamble as well as Clauses 1 to 6 agreed to.

Bill to be reported back to the House without amendment.

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MR. SPEAKER in the Chair.

13 V BILL FOR THIRD READING 1.

Petrocaribe Loans Bill, 2015. !

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The Honourable Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Economic Development reported that the Committee of the whole House has gone through the Bill, clause by clause, and directed him to report same without amendment.

Whereupon the Prime Minister moved that the Bill be read a third time.

Question put and agreed to.

Bill read a third time.

ADJOURNMENT The Honourable Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Economic Development moved that the House be adjourned.
Question put and agreed to.

The House adjourned at 7:28 PM.

to a date to be fixed by the Speaker.

Speaker.

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