Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1697648347161.pdf (Belize)
BELIZE No.

HR4/1/13 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Friday, 9 th April 2021 10:00 AM ­*­ ­*­ ­*­ ORDERS OF THE DAY 1.

2.

3.

6.

Prayers.

Oath of Allegiance of a new Member.

Announcements by the Speaker.

Papers.

No.

HR9/1/13 ­ Draft Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for Fiscal Year 2021/2022.

No.

HR10/1/13 ­ The Social Investment Fund of Belize – Financial Statements for the Years Ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 and Independent Auditors’ Report.

No.
No.

HR11/1/13 ­ The Twentieth Annual Report of the Ombudsman of Belize for the Year Ending 2020.

(The Honourable Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Investment) 7.

Presentation of Reports from Select Committee.

No.

HR12/1/13 ­ No.


HR13/1/13 ­ Report from the Constitution and Foreign Affairs Committee on the Amendment of of of Standing Orders Representatives Motion, 2021. the House Report from the Constitution and Foreign Affairs Committee on the Establishment of the National Assembly Staff Committee Motion, 2021.

(The Honourable Chairman of the Constitution and Foreign Affairs Committee) 2 12.

Introduction of Bills.

1.

Land Utilization (Amendment) Bill, 2021.


Bill for an Act to amend the Land Utilization Act, Chapter 188 of the Substantive Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2011; the Land Subdivision and Utilization Authority; and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

to strengthen the membership of (The Honourable Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Natural Resources, Petroleum and Mining) 2.

Supreme Court of Judicature (Amendment) Bill, 2021.
Bill for an Act to amend the Supreme Court of Judicature Act, Chapter 91 of the Substantive Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2011; to allow for civil proceedings to be continued and determined by another judge if the judge before whom the proceedings took place has demitted office, is removed from office, retires from office or dies; and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

3.

Court of Appeal (Amendment) Bill, 2021.


Bill for an Act to amend the Court of Appeal Act, Chapter 90 of the Substantive Laws of Belize, Revised Edition to allow for civil appeals to be continued and 2011; determined by another judge or the remaining panel of judges if a judge before whom the proceedings took place has demitted office, is removed from office, retires from office or dies; and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

4.
4.

Court of Appeal Decisions (Validation) Bill, 2021.

Bill for an Act to validate the decisions of the Court of Appeal in instances where a judge has died or vacated office; and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

(The Honourable Minister of Education, Culture, Science and Technology) 5.

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


Bill for an Act to amend the Public Health Act, Chapter 40 of the Substantive Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2011; to provide for the control and regulation of vaccines; and to incidental provide for matters connected therewith or thereto.

(The Honourable Minister of Health and Wellness) 13.

Motions relating to the Business or Sittings of the House.

3 14.

Public Business.

A.

Government Business I 1.

2.

3.


MOTIONS (For Text of Motions see Notice Paper attached ) Amendment of Standing Orders of the House of Representatives Motion, 2021.

(referred 5.02.21) Establishment of Committee Motion, 2021. the National Assembly Staﬀ (referred 5.02.21) Caribbean Development Bank – Philip Goldson Highway and Remate Bypass Upgrading Project (US$34, 300,000.00) Loan Motion, 2021.

Cabinet’s recommendation to be signiﬁed.


( The Honourable Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Investment) 4 BELIZE No.

HR4/1/13 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Friday, 9 th April 2021 10:00 A.M. ­*­ ­*­ ­*­ NOTICES OF QUESTIONS AND MOTIONS M O T I O N S 1. of Amendment Representatives Motion, 2021.
Standing Orders of the House of (referred 5.02.21) WHEREAS, it is expedient to amend the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives to allow for the House to meet virtually in the interest of public health, public safety, national security or public emergency, and to establish a Joint Public Accounts Committee, comprising of Members who support the government, Members who do not support the government and Senators; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that this Honourable House approves the amendment to the Standing Orders proposed in the draft Statutory Instrument annexed hereto, which is tabled as Sessional Paper No.
HR5A/1/13, and the Standing Orders of the House shall be and are hereby amended accordingly.

2.
Establishment of Motion, 2021. the National Assembly Staff Committee (referred 5.02.21) WHEREAS, section 3 (1) of the National Assembly Staff Act, Chapter 14, Substantive Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2011, establishes a National the House of Assembly Staff Committee consisting of Representatives, or in his absence the Deputy Speaker; three Members of the House of Representatives; the President of the Senate and one other Member of the Senate nominated by the Senate; and one Member of the staff of the National Assembly or one other person who is not a Member of staff of the National Assembly, nominated by the staff of the National Assembly; the Speaker of AND WHEREAS, section 3 (1) (b) of the National Assembly Staff Act, Chapter 14, Substantive Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2011, provides that the three Members of the House of Representatives forming part of the National Assembly Staff Committee shall be nominated by the House; 5 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that this Honourable House hereby nominate the Honourable Luis Alexander Balona, the Honourable Jorge Espat, and the Honourable Tracy Panton, to be Members of the National Assembly Staff Committee.
3.

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

Notice given on 30 th March 2021.
WHEREAS, section 3(1) of the Loans (Caribbean Development Bank) Act, Chapter 74 of the Substantive Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 20011, provides that subject to such conditions as may be agreed between the Government and the Caribbean Development Bank (“the Bank”), the Government may borrow from the Bank from time to time such sums as may be required by the Government; AND WHEREAS, section 3(2) of the said Act further provides that no agreement in respect of sums borrowed under the powers conferred by section 3(1) shall be executed unless the terms and conditions thereof have been first approved by a Resolution of the House of Representatives to that effect; AND WHEREAS , the Board of Directors of the Bank has recently approved a Loan to the Government of Belize in the sum of US$34,300,000 ; AND WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Bank has recently approved a Grant to the Government of Belize of an amount not exceeding the equivalent of US$18,675,450 from CDB, acting as Administrator of the UK Caribbean Infrastructure Partnership Fund (CIF) Grant, to assist in financing the Project; AND WHEREAS, the purpose of the Loan is to provide assistance in financing major road rehabilitation and upgrade work to approximately 125km of roadway of the Philip Goldson Highway and the Remate Bypass.
And whereas this Road Upgrading Project consist of the following components: (i) Project Preparation Assistance including a consultancy for the preparation of a feasibility study and detailed designs, undertaken with grant funding from UKCIF; (ii) Land Acquisition (ongoing) of approximately 6.9 hectares of land by Government for road realignment and widening; road rehabilitation and upgrade work to approximately 125 km of roadway to be undertaken in four lots; (iv) Engineering and Construction Related Services for the construction supervision of major works and for the design and construction supervision of minor works associated with the creation of safe school zones; (v) Other Project Support Services targeting the communities along the project corridor; (vi) Project Management including the current Project Execution Unit (PEU), additional personnel/consultants to supplement two project management vehicles, and Furniture and equipment for the PEU; (iii) Major and minor works for the PEU, AND WHEREAS, the expected outcomes of the Project are: increased safety, accessibility, efficiency, and resilience of PGH Miles 24.5 to 92, and the Remate Bypass; and improved capacity for informed decision making for livelihood enhancement along PGH and the Remate Bypass; 6 AND WHEREAS , the entire Project is estimated to cost some US$59.8 million including some US$8.8 million in Counterpart Financing; AND WHEREAS, the Bank has offered to lend to the Government the sum of US$34,300,000 (“the Loan”) to finance the Project on the following terms and conditions: Ordinary Capital Resources Portion (a) (b) (c) US $21,300,000 Ordinary Capital Resources (OCR) – to be repaid in forty­eight (48) equal or approximately equal and consecutive quarterly installments commencing five (5) years after the date of the Loan Agreement; Interest at the rate of 3.75% (variable) per annum to be paid quarterly on the outstanding OCR portion of the loan; A Commitment Fee of 1% to be paid quarterly on the un­withdrawn portion of the loan from time to
 time, to accrue from the sixtieth (60 th ) day after the date of the Loan Agreement; Special Funds Resources Portion (a) US $13,000,000 Special Funds Resources (SFR) – to be repaid in eighty (80) equal or approximately equal and consecutive quarterly installments commencing five (5) years after the date of the Loan Agreement; (b) Interest at the rate of 1% per annum to be paid quarterly on the outstanding SFR portion of the loan; The Loan shall be fully disbursed by December 31, 2024, or such later date as the Bank may specify in writing; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that this Honourable House, being satisfied that the Loan proceeds would significantly assist the Government of Belize in its endeavor to increase safety, accessibility, efficiency, and resilience of PGH Miles 24.5 to 92, and the Remate Bypass; and improve capacity for informed decision making for livelihood enhancement along PGH and the Remate Bypass, approves and confirms that the Government may enter into a Loan Agreement with the Caribbean Development Bank on the terms and conditions set out above, and further authorises the Minister of Finance to execute and deliver the said 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)