Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1694821006308.pdf (Belize)
BELIZE No.

1/1/13 SENATE Friday, 13th November 2015 9:15 A.M. * * * ---* **---*** !

Pursuant to a Proclamation of His Excellency the Governor-General, dated 12th November 2015, appointing the day for the holding of a Session of the Legislature, the Senate met in the National Assembly Chamber in Belmopan on Friday, 13th November 2015, at 9:15 AM.
Members Present: Senator, the Honourable Lee Mark Chang Senator, the Honourable Godwin Hulse – Leader of Government Business and Minister of Natural Resources and Immigration Senator, the Honourable Dr. Carla Barnett Senator, the Honourable Francine Burns Senator, the Honourable Macario Coy Sr.

Senator, the Honourable Stephen Duncan Senator, the Honourable Aldo Salazar Senator, the Honourable Lisa Shoman Senator, the Honourable Anthony Sylvestre Jr.
Senator, the Honourable Patrick Andrews Senator, the Honourable Markelm Lizarraga Senator, the Honourable Rev.

Ashley Rocke Member Absent: !

Senator appointed for the National Trade Union Congress and the Civil Society Steering Committee CLERK: A Proclamation Appointing a day for holding a Session of the National Assembly, By His Excellency, Sir Colville Norbert Young, G.C.M.G., M.B.E., Ph.

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


WHEREAS, section 83 of the Belize Constitution provides, inter alia, that there shall be a session of the National Assembly at least once 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; !

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2 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 the 28th September, 2015 and a general election of the members of the House of Representatives was held on the 4th November, 2015; !

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proposal.

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the Dais.)

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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 above mentioned 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. !
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ELECTION OF PRESIDENT !

CLERK: Honourable Senators, pursuant to Standing Order No.3 of the Senate, I now call upon you to elect a President.

SENATOR G. HULSE (Leader of Government Business and Minister of Natural Resources and Immigration): A pleasant good morning, Senators and visitors.

Mr.

Clerk, I nominate Mr. Lee Mark Chang as the President of the Senate.

SENATOR Dr. C. BARNETT: Good morning, Mr.


Clerk, I second that CLERK: Honourable Members, since there is no other nomination, I declare Honourable Lee Mark Chang as the President of the Senate.

I would ask that the Leader of Government Business and the seconder accompany me to fetch him.

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(The Clerk left to fetch the President-elect.

The President-elect accompanied by the sponsor on his right and the seonder on his left, followed by the Clerk, proceeded to MR. PRESIDENT in the Chair.
MR. PRESIDENT: I would like to express my grateful thanks for the high honour that you have been pleased to confer on me; and I give Members my solemn assurance that I shall do everything in my power to make sure that the proceedings of this House are carried out with dignity, equanimity and impartiality.

ELECTION OF VICE-PRESIDENT !

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LISA SHOMAN: Mr. President, before you go there, if you would indulge me.

Mr. President, I would like to assure you of the cooperation of my bench.
We look forward to serving with you.

We congratulate you on your election and we look forward to being able to together work for the betterment and development of Belize.

It’s a mark of high honour I think, Mr. President, that you are one of these first in this chamber, and, again, we are happy to have you as our President.

We don’t promise you that we will always agree with you, but we promise you that we will always work with you in harmony for a betterment of Belize.

Thank you.
Thank you.

(Applauses) MR. PRESIDENT: Thank you.

Honourable Senators, pursuant to Standing Order No.

4 of the Senate, I now call upon you to elect a Vice-President.

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SENATOR G. HULSE (Leader of Government Business and Minister of Natural Resources and Immigration): Mr. President, I too want to congratulate you on your appointment.

Mr. President, I nominate Dr. Carla Barnett as the Vice-President of the Senate.

SENATOR S. DUNCAN: Mr. President, I second that proposal.
SENATOR L. SHOMAN: You just took the honour away of me.

I was about to second her.

So I will join my voice to that.

MR. PRESIDENT: I’ll get you to third it.

SENATOR L. SHOMAN: Yes, Sir.

MR. PRESIDENT: Honourable Members, since there is no other nomination, I declare Dr. Carla Barnett as the Vice-President of the Senate.

OATH OF ALLEGIANCE SENATOR L.M.


Chang (President of the Senate): I, Lee Mark Chang, do swear that I will bear true faith and allegiance to Belize, and will uphold the Constitution and the law, and that I will conscientiously, impartially and to the best of my ability discharge my duties as the President of the Senate and do right to all manner of people without fear or favour, affection or ill-will.

So help me, God.
So help me, God.

SENATOR Dr. C. BARNETT (Vice-President of the Senate): I, Carla Barnett, do swear that I will bear true faith and allegiance to Belize, and will uphold the Constitution and the law, and that I will conscientiously, impartially and to the best of my ability discharge my duties as a Senator and do right to all manner of people without fear or favour, affection or ill-will.

So help me, God.
So help me, God.

SENATOR G. HULSE (Leader of Government Business and Minister of Natural Resources and Immigration): I, Godwin Hulse, do swear that I will bear true faith and allegiance to Belize, and will uphold the Constitution and the law, and that I will conscientiously, impartially and to the best of my ability discharge my duties as a Senator and do right to all manner of people without fear or favour, affection or ill-will.

So help me, God.

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4 SENATOR F. BURNS: I, Francine Burns, do swear that I will bear true faith and allegiance to Belize, and will uphold the Constitution and the law, and that I will conscientiously, impartially and to the best of my ability discharge my duties as a Senator and do right to all manner of people without fear or favour, affection or ill-will.

So help me, God.
So help me, God.

SENATOR M. COY: I, Macario Coy, do swear that I will bear true faith and allegiance to Belize, and will uphold the Constitution and the law, and that I will conscientiously, impartially and to the best of my ability discharge my duties as a Senator and do right to all manner of people without fear or favour, affection or ill-will.

So help me, God.
So help me, God.

SENATOR S. DUNCAN: I, Stephen Duncan, do swear that I will bear true faith and allegiance to Belize, and will uphold the Constitution and the law, and that I will conscientiously, impartially and to the best of my ability discharge my duties as a Senator and do right to all manner of people without fear or favour, affection or ill-will.

So help me, God.
So help me, God.

SENATOR A. SALAZAR: I, Aldo Salazar, do swear that I will bear true faith and allegiance to Belize, and will uphold the Constitution and the law, and that I will conscientiously, impartially and to the best of my ability discharge my duties as a Senator and do right to all manner of people without fear or favour, affection or ill-will.

So help me, God.
So help me, God.

SENATOR L. SHOMAN: I, Lisa Shoman, do swear that I will bear true faith and allegiance to Belize, and will uphold the Constitution and the law, and that I will conscientiously, impartially and to the best of my ability discharge my duties as a Senator and do right to all manner of people without fear or favour, affection or ill-will.

So help me, God.
So help me, God.

SENATOR A. SYLVESTRE JR.: I, Anthony Sylvestre, do swear that I will bear true faith and allegiance to Belize, and will uphold the Constitution and the law, and that I will conscientiously, impartially and to the best of my ability discharge my duties as a Senator and do right to all manner of people without fear or favour, affection or ill-will.

So help me, God.
So help me, God.

SENATOR P. ANDREWS: I, Patrick Andrews, do swear that I will bear true faith and allegiance to Belize, and will uphold the Constitution and the law, and that I will conscientiously, impartially and to the best of my ability discharge my duties as a Senator and do right to all manner of people without fear or favour, affection or ill-will.

So help me, God.
So help me, God.

SENATOR M. LIZARRAGA: I, Markhelm Lizarraga, do swear that I will bear true faith and allegiance to Belize, and will uphold the Constitution and the law, and that I will conscientiously, impartially and to the best of my ability discharge my duties as a Senator and do right to all manner of people without fear or favour, affection or ill-will.

So help me, God.

SENATOR REV.


A. ROCKE: I, Reverend Ashley Anthony Rocke, do swear that I will bear true faith and allegiance to Belize, and will uphold the Constitution and the law, and that I will conscientiously, impartially and to the best of my ability discharge my duties as a Senator and do right to all manner of people without fear or favour, affection or ill-will.

So help me, God.

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5 PRAYERS MR. PRESIDENT: First of all, good morning everyone.
All I will say is !

congratulations to all the Senators.

(Applause) Almighty and Eternal God, who through Jesus Christ has revealed your glory to all nations, please protect and preserve Belize, our beloved country.

God of might, wisdom and justice, please assist our Belizean government and people with your Holy Spirit of counsel and fortitude.

Let the light of your divine wisdom direct their plans and endeavours so that with your help we may attain our just objectives.
With your guidance, may all our endeavours tend to peace, social justice, liberty, national happiness, the increase of industry, sobriety and useful knowledge.

We pray, O God of Mercy, for all of us that we may be blessed in the knowledge and sanctified in the observance of your most holy law, that we may be preserved in union and in that peace which the world itself cannot give.
And, after enjoying the blessings of this life, please admit us, dear Lord, to that eternal reward that You have prepared for those who love you.

Amen.

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ANNOUNCEMENTS BY THE PRESIDENT !


MR. PRESIDENT: Before we proceed to the Adjournment, I would like to inform you, the Honourable Senators, that it has been indicated to me that it is the wish of the Honourable House of Representatives that the Senate attends this morning's Sitting at the Grounds of the National Assembly Building on the occasion of the presentation of the Government Speech from the Throne by His Excellency the Governor-General.

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

I think the ayes have it.

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MOTIONS RELATING TO THE BUSINESS OR SITTINGS OF THE SENATE SENATOR G. HULSE (Leader of Government Business and Minister of Natural Resources and Immigration): Mr. President, I move that at its rising today, the Senate adjourn to a date to be fixed by the President.

MR. PRESIDENT: Honourable Members, the question is that, at its rising today, the Senate adjourn to a date to be fixed by the President.
All those in favour, kindly say aye; those against, kindly say no.

I think the ayes have it.

ADJOURNMENT SENATOR G. HULSE (Leader of Government Business and Minister of Natural Resources and Immigration): Mr. President, I move that the Senate MR. PRESIDENT: Honourable Members, the question is that the All those in favour, kindly say aye; those against, kindly say no.

I think !

6 do now adjourn.

Senate do now adjourn.

the ayes have it.

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The Senate now stands adjourned.

PRESIDENT !

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PRESIDENT !

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***---***----*** The Senate adjourned at 9:30 A.M. to a date to be fixed by the President.