Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1694821221828.pdf (Belize)
FILE BELIZE No.

HR18/1/12 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Friday, 9th March 2018 10:00 AM -*- -*- -*- S U P P L E M E N T A R Y ORDERS OF THE DAY 8.

Questions to Ministers.

(See Notice Papers Attached).

12.

Introduction of Bills.

1.

General Revenue Appropriation (2018/2019) Bill, 2018.

Bill for an Act to appropriate certain sums of money for the use of the Public Service of Belize for the financial year ending March 31, 2019.

2.

Central Bank of Belize (Amendment) Bill, 2018.


Bill for an Act to amend the Central Bank of Belize Act, Chapter 262 of the Substantive Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2011, to make additional provision in relation to the entities with whom the Central Bank of Belize may engage in foreign exchange transactions; and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

3.

Customs and Excise Duties (Amendment) Bill, 2018.
Bill for an Act to amend the Customs and Excise Duties Act, Chapter 48 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2011, to implement the Customs and Excise Trade Classification based on the Harmonised System of Classification Version 2017; to implement the fourth phase of reduction of duties in accordance with the Economic Partnership Agreement, to vary the rates of excise duty on certain items; to increase the scope of items subject to excise duty; and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
4.

Immigration (Amendment) Bill, 2018.
Bill for an Act to amend the Immigration Act, Chapter 156 of the Substantive Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2011; to provide, as a companion measure to amendments to the Belizean Nationality Act, Chapter 161 and the Passports Act, Chapter 164, for the bifurcation of functions related to immigration and nationality services, for regularizing the use of the term used to describe the head of the government department responsible for immigration; and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
2 5.

Belizean Nationality (Amendment) Bill, 2018.

Bill for an Act to amend the Belizean Nationality Act, Chapter 161 of the Substantive Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2011; to provide, as a companion measure to amendments to the Immigration Act, Chapter 156 and the Passports Act, Chapter 164, for the bifurcation of functions related to nationality and immigration services; and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

6.

Passports (Amendment) Bill, 2018.


Bill for an Act to amend the Passports Act, Chapter 164 of the Substantive Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2011; to provide, as a companion measure to amendments to the Belizean Nationality Act, Chapter 161 and the Immigration Act, Chapter 156, for the bifurcation of functions related to nationality and immigration services; and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
(The Right Honourable Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Natural Resources) 7.

Firearms (Amendment) Bill, 2018.

Bill for an Act to amend the Firearms Act, Chapter 143 of the Substantive Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2011; to establish a framework for an heirloom firearm licence; to provide for facilitating the deposit of a firearm for safe keeping in a police station; to provide for new and updated fines and fees; and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

8.
8.

Police (Amendment) Bill, 2018.

Bill for an Act to amend the Police Act, Chapter 138 of the Substantive Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2011; to bring the Police Act into conformity with the Public Service Regulations and to strengthen disciplinary control of persons holding or acting in offices in the security services; and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

9.

Crime Control and Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill, 2018.
Bill for an Act to amend the Crime Control and Criminal Justice Act, Chapter 102 of the Substantive Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2011; to make provision for better maintenance of public safety and order through discouraging membership of criminal gangs and the disruption and suppression of criminal gang activity; and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

10.

Protection of Witness Bill, 2018.


Bill for an Act to provide for the protection of witnesses in criminal proceedings, by enhancing the ability of a witness to give testimony in a judicial proceedings and to cooperate with law enforcement authorities; and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

(The Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs and Home Affairs) 3 14.

Public Business.

A.

Government Business I MOTIONS (For Text of Motions see Notice Papers attached) 1.
Official Charities Fund Motion, 2018.

Cabinet’s recommendation to be signified.

2.

Appointment of Ombudsman Motion, 2018.

Cabinet’s recommendation to be signified.

(The Right Honourable Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Natural Resources) 4 BELIZE No.

HR18/1/12 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Friday, 9th March 2018 10:00 AM.

-*- -*- -*- S U P P L E M E N T A R Y NOTICES OF QUESTIONS AND MOTIONS Q U E S T I O N S [For Oral Answer] Notice given on 1st March 2018.

*1.
*1.

Can the Minister responsible for Public Utilities inform this Honourable House if reports of budget estimates of the Public Utilities Commission have been submitted since 2008 to the Minister of Finance as required by section 39 of the Public Utilities Commission Act?

*2.
*2.

Considering that the Government of Belize has taken a number of cases to the US Courts, including the court of appeals and the US Supreme Court, can the Minister of Finance please inform this Honourable House how much Government has paid to both local and foreign lawyers in connection with these cases and if there are any outstanding fees that the Government still needs to pay?

(The Honourable Member for Orange Walk Central) Notice given on 1st March 2018.

*1.
*1.

Can the Minister of Works produce the contracts signed by one Mr. Kirk Lamb who was contracted to build houses through the ‘Housing for the Poor’ program?

Can the Minister inform the nation on how many houses were built by Mr. Lamb, and can he provide us a copy of Mr. Lamb’s contractor’s license?

*2.

Can the Minister of Works inform this nation what is the total cost to rehabilitate the Hummingbird Highway from Belmopan to the entrance of Dangriga?
Can he further inform on the original cost of replacing the concrete bridges on the Hummingbird Highway, which culverts and what are the savings as a result of these replacements versus what was originally conceptualized?

*3.

Can the Minister responsible for Rural Development update this nation on the progress of the Hopkins and Sarawee water systems and when will they be fully and properly operationalized?

(The Honourable Member for Stann Creek West) 5 BELIZE No.
HR18/1/12 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Friday, 9th March 2018 10:00 A.M. -*- -*- -*- S U P P L E M E N T A R Y NOTICES OF QUESTIONS AND MOTIONS M O T I O N S 1.

Official Charities Fund Motion, 2018.

Notice given on 6th March 2018.

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, 2019.

Cabinet’s recommendation to be signified.

2.


Appointment of Ombudsman Motion, 2018.

Notice given on 7th March 2018.
WHEREAS, section 3(2) of the Ombudsman Act, Chapter 5 of the Substantive Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2011, provides that the Ombudsman shall be appointed by the Governor-General, acting on the recommendations of both Houses of the National Assembly contained in resolutions passed in that behalf; AND WHEREAS, MR. LIONEL ARZU possesses the relevant qualifications and fulfils the requirements for appointment to the office of Ombudsman, as contained in the Ombudsman Act; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that this Honourable House, being satisfied that MR. LIONEL ARZU is a fit and proper person to be appointed as Ombudsman, recommends to the Governor-General that MR. LIONEL ARZU be appointed as Ombudsman for a period of one (1) year with effect from 1st April, 2018, in accordance with the provisions of the Ombudsman Act.
Cabinet’s recommendation to be signified.

(The Right Honourable Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Natural Resources) 