Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1694572873333.pdf (Belize)
BELIZE No.

HR12/1/13 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Tuesday, 15th March 2022 10:00 AM -*- -*- -*- ORDERS OF THE DAY 1.

3.

6.

Prayers.

Announcements by the Speaker.

Papers.

No.

HR95/1/13 - Draft Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for Fiscal Year 2022/2023.

No.

HR96/1/13 - Development Finance Corporation – Annual Report for the Year 2020.

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

Presentation of Reports from Select Committees.

No.
No.

HR97/1/13 - Report from the Finance and Economic Development Committee on Inter- American Development Bank - Program for Expenditure Public Strengthening Management in Belize - US$8 Million Loan Motion, 2022. the No.

HR98/1/13 - Report from the Finance and Economic Development Committee on the Central Bank of Belize (Amendment) Bill, 2022.

No.

HR99/1/13 - Report from the Finance and Economic Development the Corporation Development (Amendment) Bill, 2022.
Committee Finance on (The Honourable Chairman of the Finance and Economic Development Committee) No.

HR100/1/13 - Report from the Constitution and Foreign Indictable Affairs Committee on Procedure (Amendment) Bill, 2022. the No.

HR101/1/13 - Report from the Constitution and Foreign Affairs Committee on the Inferior Courts (Amendment) Bill, 2022.

2 No.

HR102/1/13 - Report from the Constitution and Foreign Affairs Committee on the Protection of Witnesses Bill, 2022.
(The Honourable Chairman of the Constitution and Foreign Affairs Committee) No.

HR103/1/13 - Report from the Agriculture and Fisheries the Fisheries Resources Committee on (Amendment) Bill, 2022.

(The Honourable Chairman of the Agriculture and Fisheries Committee) 12.

Introduction of Bills.

1.

Cannabis and Industrial Hemp Control and Licensing Bill, 2022.
Bill for an Act to provide for the control and licensing of cannabis and industrial hemp; and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

(The Honourable Minister of Home Affairs and New Growth Industries) 2.

Village Councils (Amendment) Bill, 2022.
Bill for an Act to amend the Village Councils Act, Chapter 88 of the Substantive Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2020; to provide for eligibility requirements for the election of a Chairperson or member of a Village or Community Council; to provide for a procedure for the resignation of an elected member of a Council; to allow for a Deputy Chairperson to assume the powers and duties of a Chairperson during his absence from office; and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.. (The Honourable Minister of Rural Transformation, Community Development, Labour and Local Government) 13.
Motions relating to the Business or Sittings of the House.

14.

Public Business.

A.

Government Business I MOTION (For Text of Motion see Notice Paper attached) 1.

Inter-American Development Bank - Program for Strengthening Public Expenditure Management in Belize - US$8 Million Loan Motion, 2022.

(referred 4.02.22) (The Honourable Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Investment) 3 I BILLS FOR SECOND READING 1.

Central Bank of Belize (Amendment) Bill, 2022.


Bill for an Act to amend the Central Bank of Belize Act, Chapter 262 of the Substantive Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2020, to further capitalize the Central Bank of Belize; and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

2.

Development Finance Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2022.
Bill for an Act to amend the Development Finance Corporation Act, Chapter 279 of the Substantive Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2020; to widen the scope of the Corporation’s purpose; to provide for a period of limitation; to provide for penalties and punishments for Directors and Officers of the Corporation; and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

(The Honourable Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Investment) 3.
Indictable Procedure (Amendment) Bill, 2022.
Bill for an Act to amend the Indictable Procedure Act, Chapter 96 of the Substantive Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2020; to expand the list of offences for trial without a jury in certain criminal cases; to allow for hearings or trials before the court to be conducted virtually; to allow for additional crimes to be included in a count of an indictment; to allow for the Schedules to be amended by Order; and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

4.
4.

Inferior Courts (Amendment) Bill, 2022.

Bill for an Act to amend the Inferior Courts Act, Chapter 94 of the Substantive Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2020; to allow for hearings or trials before the court to be conducted virtually; and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

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

Protection of Witnesses Bill, 2022.


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 judicial proceedings and to cooperate with law enforcement authorities; and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

(The Honourable Minister of Home Affairs and New Growth Industries) 4 6.

Fisheries Resources (Amendment) Bill, 2022.


Bill for an Act to amend the Fisheries Resources Act, Chapter 210 of the Substantive Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2020; to provide specific penalties for certain offences; and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

(The Honourable Minister of The Blue Economy and Civil Aviation) II COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE HOUSE ON BILLS III BILLS FOR THIRD READING  5 BELIZE No.
HR12/1/13 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Tuesday, 15th March 2022 10:00 AM.

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

Inter-American Development Bank for Strengthening Public Expenditure Management in Belize - US$8 Million Loan Motion, 2022.
- Program (referred 4.02.22) WHEREAS, Belize, as a member of the Inter-American Development Bank (the “Bank”), is eligible for development assistance in the form of loans, grants, and technical assistance from the Bank on such terms and conditions as may be agreed between Belize and the Bank from time to time; AND WHEREAS, the Government of Belize, in an effort to increase the efficiency of the use of public resources, has approached the Bank for financial assistance to execute a Program to strengthen Public Expenditure Management in Belize; AND WHEREAS, the Program consists of the following four sub- component objectives which aim at strengthening public financial management: (i) improve the efficiency of key expenditure functions; (ii) promote economies of scale and competitiveness among suppliers in the acquisition of all goods and services; (iii) promote a more sustainable technological infrastructure enabling processes to be more reliable and faster; (iv) improve institutional capacity for personnel to carry out processes and operate systems efficiently; AND WHEREAS, it is intended that the execution of the project shall be carried out on behalf of the Government by the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment, acting as Executing Agency; AND WHEREAS, to US$8,000,000.00 from its Ordinary Capital Resources for the said purpose under the following terms and conditions: the Bank has offered financing of up Lender: Loan Principal Amount: Inter-American Development The Bank; US$8,000,000.00 Flexible Financing Facility Loan; 6 Disbursement Schedule: Loan Term: Repayment Period: Purpose: Rate of Interest: Credit Fee: Over a period of five (5) years from the date of signature of Loan Contract; Twenty-five (25) Years inclusive of sixty-six (66) months Grace Period on Principal Repayments; To be repaid in 39 approximately equal, semi-annual, and consecutive about installments US$205,128.21; of To execute a project that will increase the efficiency of public resources by strengthening public financial
 management; Interest will be charged on the daily outstanding balance of the loan, as per the LIBOR-Based Interest Rate, plus the applicable lending spread for the Bank’s ordinary capital loans, currently at 1.31% per annum; A Credit Fee will be at a percentage to be established by the Bank on a periodic basis, not exceeding 0.75% per annum; AND WHEREAS, under the provisions of section 7 (2) of the Finance and Audit (Reform) Act, 2005, the Government of Belize is required to obtain the prior authorisation 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 in its continued efforts to promote the fiscal sustainability of Belize, approves and confirms that the Government may enter into a Loan Contract with the Inter-American Development Bank on the terms and conditions set out above, and further authorizes the Minister of Finance to execute and deliver the said Loan Contract and all other documents associated therewith.
(The Honourable Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Investment) 