Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1697644537339.pdf (Belize)
BELIZE No.

HR26/1/13 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Friday, 19th May 2023 10:00 AM -*- -*- -*- ORDERS OF THE DAY 1.

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7.

Prayers.

Oath of Allegiance of a New Member.

Announcements by the Speaker.

Bill brought from the Senate.

Petitions.

Papers.

Presentation of Reports from Select Committees.

No.

HR184/1/13 - Report from the Finance and Economic the Credit Development Committee on Unions (Amendment) Bill, 2023.

No.
No.

HR185/1/13 - Report from the Finance and Economic Development Committee on the Central Bank of Belize (Amendment) Bill, 2023.

No.

HR186/1/13 - Report from the Finance and Economic Development Committee on the Domestic Banks Institutions and (Amendment) Bill, 2023.

Financial No.

HR187/1/13 - Report from the Finance and Economic Development the International Banking (Amendment) Bill, 2023.

Committee on No.
Committee on No.

HR188/1/13 - Report from the Finance and Economic the Committee Development Moneylenders (Amendment) Bill, 2023. on No.

HR189/1/13 - Report from the Finance and Economic Development Committee on the National Payment System (Amendment) Bill, 2023.

2 No.

HR190/1/13 - Report from the Finance and Economic Development Committee on the Money Laundering and Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Bill, 2023.

(The Honourable Chairman of the Finance and Economic Development Committee) No.
HR191/1/13 - Report from the Constitution and Foreign Affairs Committee on the Law Revision (Amendment) Bill, 2023.

No.

HR192/1/13 - Report from the Constitution and Foreign Affairs Committee on the Special Prosecutor Bill, 2023.

No.

HR193/1/13 - Report from the Constitution and Foreign Affairs Committee on the Motion for the the Women’s Establishment Parliamentarian Standing Committee, 2023.

Caucus of (The Honourable Chairman of the Constitution and Foreign Affairs Committee) 8.

9.
9.

Questions to Ministers.

Requests for leave to move the adjournment of the House on definite matters of urgent public importance.

10.

Statement by Ministers.

11.

Personal Explanations.

12.

Introduction of Bill.

13.

Motions relating to the Business or Sittings of the House.

14.

Public Business.

A.

Government Business I MOTIONS (For Text of Motions see Notice Papers attached) 1.

Saudi Fund for Development Tertiary Level Hospital Project in Belmopan 168,750,000 Saudi Riyals Loan Motion, 2023.
Cabinet’s recommendation to be signified.

(The Honourable Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Economic Development, and Investment) 2.

Motion Parliamentarian Caucus Standing Committee, 2023. the Establishment of for the Women’s (The Honourable Minister of Human Development, Families and Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs) (referred 21st April 2023.)

3 II BILLS FOR SECOND READING 1. Credit Unions (Amendment) Bill, 2023.
Bill for an Act to amend the Credit Unions Act, Chapter 314 of the Substantive Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2020, to satisfy the requirements of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Recommendations; to provide for the chief executive officer, senior executive officer, and members of the Board of Directors, Supervisory Committee and Credit Committee to be fit and proper; to provide for publication of sanctions at the discretion of the Central Bank of Belize; to provide for credit unions to comply with all requirements of the Money Laundering and Terrorism (Prevention) Act; and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
2.
Central Bank of Belize (Amendment) Bill, 2023. the exchange of Bill for an Act to amend the Central Bank of Belize Act, Chapter 262 of the Substantive Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2020, to satisfy the requirements of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Recommendations; to provide for information between financial supervisors; to allow for reinforcement of the Central Bank to ensure financial institutions comply with AML/CFT/CPF international standards and to avoid any real or perceived conflicts of interest; and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
3.

Domestic (Amendment) Bill, 2023.
Banks and Financial Institutions Financial Bill for an Act to amend the Domestic Banks and Financial Institutions Act, Chapter 263 of the Substantive Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2020, to satisfy the requirements of (FATF) the Force Recommendations; the operational independence of the Central Bank to have full discretion to take actions and decisions on supervised banks and banking groups; to provide for the publication of sanctions for non- compliance at the Central Bank’s discretion; and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
Action to provide Task for 4. International Banking (Amendment) Bill, 2023.
Bill for an Act to amend the International Banking Act, Chapter 267 of the Substantive Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2020, to satisfy the requirements of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Recommendations; to align the definition of shell bank with the definition in the Domestic Banks and Financial Institutions Act and the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Recommendations; to prohibit the licensing of shell banks; to provide for the publication of sanctions for non-compliance at the discretion of the Central Bank of Belize; and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
4 5.

Moneylenders (Amendment) Bill, 2023.

Bill for an Act to amend the Moneylenders Act, Chapter 260 of the Substantive Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2020, to satisfy the requirements of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Recommendations; to increase the Central Bank’s effectiveness in supervising moneylenders by enabling publication of enforcement actions; and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

6.

Money Laundering and Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Bill, 2023.
Bill for an Act to amend the Money Laundering and Terrorism (Prevention) Act, Chapter 104 of the Substantive Laws of Belize Revised Edition 2020; to satisfy the requirements of the Financial Action Task Force Recommendations with respect to laws regarding national anti-money financing of terrorism and combatting proliferation financing; and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

laundering, combatting the 7.

National Payment System (Amendment) Bill, 2023.
Bill for an Act to amend the National Payment System Act, Chapter 266:01 of the Substantive Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2020, to satisfy the requirements of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Recommendations; to provide that payment service providers and agents are licensed or registered to operate; to sanction the operation without a license or registration of payment service providers and agents; to provide for the publication of sanctions for non- compliance by payment service providers and agents; and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
(The Honourable Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Economic Development, and Investment) 8.

Law Revision (Amendment) Bill, 2023.

Bill for an Act to amend the Law Revision Act, Chapter 3 of the Substantive Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2020; to allow for the publication of an interim revised edition of the laws of Belize; and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

(The Honourable Minister of Education, Culture, Science and Technology) 9.

Special Prosecutor Bill, 2023.


Bill for an Act to prescribe matters necessary for the appointment and duties of a special prosecutor who has an independent status within the scope of a specific case in the investigation of crime and institution of public prosecution; and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
(The Honourable Minister of Home Affairs and New Growth Industries) 5 III COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE HOUSE ON BILLS IV BILLS FOR THIRD READING  NOTICES OF QUESTIONS AND MOTIO 6 BELIZE No.

HR26/1/13 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Friday, 19th May 2023 10:00 AM.

-*- -*- -*- NOTICES OF QUESTIONS AND MOTIONS M O T I O N S 1.

Saudi Fund for Development Tertiary Level Hospital Project in Belmopan 168,750,000 Saudi Riyals Loan Motion, 2023.

Notice given on 24th April 2023.
WHEREAS, the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) (hereinafter referred to as “the Saudi Fund”) is a government organization that provides soft loans and grants to finance development projects and programs in developing countries; AND WHEREAS, the Government of Belize has requested assistance from the Saudi Fund for the financing of a Tertiary Level Hospital Project in Belmopan (hereinafter referred to as “the Project”); AND WHEREAS, the purpose of the Loan is to assist the Government of Belize in financing the construction of a tertiary-level hospital on the Belmopan Campus of the University of Belize which would also serve as a university hospital for medical education; AND WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Saudi Fund for Development has recently approved a Loan to the Government of Belize in the amount of One Hundred sixty-eight million seven hundred and fifty thousand (168,750,000) Saudi Riyals, (equivalent to approximately US$45 Million), to the Government of Belize to assist in the financing of the Project; AND WHEREAS, the terms and conditions of the Saudi Fund Loan Offer are as follows: Lender: The Saudi Fund for Development; Loan Principal Amount: One Hundred sixty-eight million seven hundred and fifty thousand Saudi Riyals (or approximately million) ; US$45 Loan Term: Twenty (20) years (5 years grace period plus 15 years repayment period); Grace Period: Five (5) years from the effective date of the Loan Agreement; Rate of Interest: Fixed interest rate of Two percent (2.0%) per annum; 7 AND WHEREAS,
 under the provisions of section 7 of the Finance and Audit (Reform) Act 2005, the Government of Belize is required to obtain the prior authorization of the National Assembly, by way of a Resolution, for such a borrowing; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that this Honourable House, being satisfied that the loan proceeds, would significantly assist the Government of Belize to finance a tertiary hospital in the Belmopan Area, approves and confirms that the Government of Belize may enter into a Loan Agreement with the Saudi Fund for Development on the terms and conditions set out above, and further authorizes the Minister of Finance to execute and deliver the said Loan Agreement and all other documents associated therewith.
Cabinet’s recommendation to be signified.

(The Honourable Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Economic Development, and Investment) 2.

Motion for the Establishment of the Women’s Parliamentarian Caucus Standing Committee, 2023.

(referred 21st April 2023.)
WHEREAS, Standing Order 78 (4) of the House of Representatives Standing Orders provides that a Joint Select Committee may be appointed at the request of either House with the approval of the other House; AND WHEREAS, Standing Order 74 of the House of Representatives Standing Orders requires the House to refer a motion relating to Standing Orders to the Standing Orders Committee for examination, consideration, and report; AND WHEREAS, Standing Order 89 (1) of the House of Representatives Standing Orders requires that notice of a motion to a amend the Standing Orders be given and accompanied by a draft of the proposed amendments; AND WHEREAS, the need for a collaborative forum for all women parliamentarians of Belize, notwithstanding party affiliation or the chamber in which they serve, has been identified; AND WHEREAS, such forum may facilitate networking, foster productive dialogue on issues of women’s rights and gender equality, and promote the undertaking of actions to positively impact the inclusiveness of the legislature, legislative process and the country as a whole; AND WHEREAS, there has been a consensus among the women parliamentarians that this forum be established as a Bicameral Caucus of Women Parliamentarians; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that this Honourable House recommends that the House of Representatives Standing Orders be amended to allow for such caucus to be established as a Joint Select Committee, in accordance with Standing Order 78 of the House of Representatives, to sit jointly with a similarly comprised Committee from the Senate, as proposed in the Draft Statutory Instrument annexed hereto, which is tabled as Sessional Paper No.
HR180/1/13.

(The Honourable Minister of Human Development, Families and Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs) 