Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1694821562740.pdf (Belize)
BELIZE No.

HR3/1/12 !

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Friday, 22nd January 2016 10:12 A.M. !

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Pursuant to the directions of Mr. Speaker on the 15th January 2016, the House met on Friday, 22nd January 2016, in the National Assembly Chamber, Belmopan, at 10:12 A.M. !

Members Present: !

The Hon.

Michael Peyrefitte, Speaker The Hon.

Dean O. Barrow (Queen’s Square) Prime Minister, Minister of Finance, Public Service, Energy and Public Utilities The Hon.
Gaspar Vega (Orange Walk North), Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry, the Environment and Sustainable Development The Hon.

Patrick J. Faber (Collet), Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports The Hon.

John Saldivar (Belmopan), Minister of National Security The Hon.

Michael Finnegan (Mesopotamia), Minister of Housing and Urban Development The Hon.

Anthony Martinez (Port Loyola), Minister of Human Development, Social Transformation and Poverty Alleviation The Hon.
Wilfred P. Elrington (Pickstock), Minister of Foreign Affairs The Hon.

Pablo S. Marin (Corozal Bay), Minister of Health The Hon.

Hugo Patt (Corozal North), Minister of Labour, Local Government and Rural Development The Hon.

Edmond G. Castro (Belize Rural North), Minister of State in the Ministry of Transport and NEMO The Hon.

Dr. Omar Figueroa (Cayo North), Minister of State in the Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development The Hon.
Frank Mena (Dangriga), Minister of State in the Ministry of Public Service, Energy and Public Utilities The Hon.

Beverly Castillo (Belize Rural Central), Minister of State in the Ministry of Immigration The Hon.

Tracy Taegar-Panton (Albert), Minister of State in the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Commerce The Hon.

Dr. Angel Campos (Corozal South West), Minister of State in the Ministry of Health The Hon.

Francis Fonseca (Freetown), Leader of the Opposition The Rt.

Hon.
Hon.

Said Musa (Fort George) The Hon.

Florencio Marin Jr. (Corozal South East) The Hon.

Michael Espat (Toledo East) The Hon.

Julius Espat (Cayo South) The Hon.

Cordel Hyde (Lake Independence) The Hon.

Oscar Requena (Toledo West) !

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Kareem Musa (Caribbean Shores) The Hon.

Orlando Habet (Cayo North East) !

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Members Absent: !

The Hon.

Erwin R. Contreras (Cayo West), Minister of Economic Development, Petroleum, Investment, Trade and Commerce The Hon.
Manuel Heredia Jr. (Belize Rural South), Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation The Hon.

Rene Montero (Cayo Central), Minister of Works, Transport and NEMO The Hon.

Elodio Aragon Jr. (Orange Walk East), Minister of State in the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports The Hon.

John Briceño (Orange Walk Central) The Hon.

Rodwell Ferguson (Stann Creek West) The Hon.

Jose Mai (Orange Walk South) MR. SPEAKER in the Chair.

PRAYERS by Pastor Alvan Gentle Jr. PAPER !

HON.


D. BARROW (Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Public Service, Energy and Public Utilities): Mr. Speaker, I rise to lay on the Table Sessional Paper No.

HR4/1/12 - Financial Statements for Years Ended December 31, 2014 and 2013; Actuarial Review of the Social Security Scheme as at December 2014. !

MR. SPEAKER: Honourable Members, that Paper is ordered to lie on the Table.

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PRESENTATION OF REPORTS FROM SELECT COMMITTEES HON.
J. SALDIVAR (Minister of National Security): Mr. Speaker, I rise to lay on the Table the Reports from the Finance and Economic Development Committee on the Private Pensions Bill, 2015, on the Treasury Bills (Amendment) Bill, 2015, and on the Belize Island Holdings Facility Development Bill, 2015. !

MR. SPEAKER: Honourable Members, those Reports are ordered to lie on the Table.

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HON.
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HON.

P. FABER (Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports on behalf of the Chairman of the National Security and Immigration Committee): Mr. Speaker, I rise to lay on the Table the Report from the National Security and Immigration Committee on the Belize National Coast Guard Service (Amendment) Bill, 2015, referred by the House of Representatives on the 4th December 2015. !

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the Table.

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3 Mr. Speaker, in considering the matter referred to them, your Committee held its meeting on the 14th December 2015.

Your Committee considered the Bill and has agreed that it be returned to this Honourable House for second reading without amendment.

A copy of the Minutes of the proceedings of the meeting held is attached and forms part of this Report.

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MR. SPEAKER: Honourable Members, that Report is ordered to lie on INTRODUCTION OF BILL !
Extradition (Amendment) Bill, 2016.

HON.

W. ELRINGTON (Minister of Foreign Affairs): May it please you, Mr. Speaker, that I rise to introduce the Extradition (Amendment) Bill, 2016, and this is a Bill for an Act to amend the Extradition Act, Chapter 112 of the Substantive Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2011; to make provision for the extradition of fugitive criminals between Belize and the United Mexican States; and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
Mr. Speaker, I would just like to explain very briefly that this is in relation to an Extradition Treaty that was signed in August of 1988 here in Belize.

It was actually signed and ratified.

But for some reason it was never incorporated into the domestic law.

And for the Treaty to have efficacy when we have request for extradition from Mexico it is necessary for the Treaty to be part of our domestic law.
So we are now trying to get this Bill pass so that it becomes a part of the domestic law so that in the future when we get request for extradition from Mexico we will be able to give effect to it.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Honourable Members, that Bill is referred to the Constitution and Foreign Affairs Committee for examination, consideration and report.

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Bill read a first time.

MOTIONS RELATING TO THE BUSINESS OR SITTINGS OF THE HOUSE HON.
D. BARROW (Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Public Service, Energy and Public Utilities): Mr. Speaker, I move that at its rising today, the House adjourn to a date to be fixed by the Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Honourable Members, the question is that the House at its rising today, adjourn to a date to be fixed by the Speaker.

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

I think the ayes have it.

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4 PUBLIC BUSINESS Government Business I MOTIONS 1.

European Investment Bank – Eight Million Euro Line of Credit to the Development Finance Corporation Loan and Guarantee Motion, 2016.

HON.

D. BARROW (Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Public Service, Energy and Public Utilities): Mr. Speaker, I move - WHEREAS, section 15(1) of the Development Finance Corporation Act, 2009 (No.
1 of 2009), provides that the Development Finance Corporation (DFC) may, with the approval of the Minister, borrow sums domestically or internationally for meeting any of its obligations or discharging any of its functions; AND WHEREAS, subsection (4) of the said section 15 further provides that an aggregate domestic debt in excess of BZ$5.0 million shall be subject to the prior approval of the National Assembly; AND WHEREAS, the European Investment Bank (EIB) has offered a Loan equivalent to Euro 8 Million (to be disbursed and repaid in United States of America Dollars) to the DFC for on-lending to eligible small and medium sized commercially run enterprises and micro investments in Belize; AND WHEREAS, the key financial terms and conditions of the Loan are (a) Loan Amount: equivalent to Euro 8 Million; (b) (c) (d) !
Loan Tenor: up to 10 years inclusive of grace period not exceeding 4 years; Repayment: is due semi-annually on each disbursement tranche, which will have separate repayment schedules based on the term and interest rate selected by the DFC; Interest: is due semi-annually on each disbursement tranche and may be either fixed or floating rate, as follows: (i) Fixed rate: not exceeding 3.49%; (ii)Floating rate: Six months LIBOR plus one hundred and twenty (120) basis points (1.2%); AND WHEREAS, in addition to the above financial terms, another key condition is that the Loan shall be guaranteed by the Government of Belize; AND WHEREAS, section 7(6) of the Finance and Audit (Reform) Act (No.
12 of 2005) provides that before the Government offers any guarantee or some other form of security in support of any loan made directly to a private !

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5 sector entity or statutory body by any public or private bank, financial institution or capital market in or outside Belize, the Government shall seek the approval of the National Assembly; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that this Honourable House, being satisfied that the Loan would contribute to the social and economic development of Belize by improving the capacity of DFC to provide funding on an economically sustainable and environmentally acceptable basis: (i) (ii) !
approves that the DFC may borrow the said sum of Euro 8 Million from the EIB on the terms and conditions set out above and further authorizes the Board of Directors of the DFC to execute and deliver the Loan Agreement and all other documents associated therewith; and further approves and confirms that the Government may enter into a Guarantee Agreement with the EIB on the terms and conditions set out above, and further authorizes the the said Minister of Finance to execute and deliver Guarantee Agreement and all other documents associated therewith.
This Motion has the recommendation of the Cabinet.

MR. SPEAKER: Honourable Members, that Motion is referred to the Finance and Economic Development Committee for examination, consideration and report.

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HON.

D. BARROW (Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Public Service, Energy and Public Utilities): Mr. Speaker, I seek the indulgence of the House to have the Motion taken through all its stages this day.
MR. SPEAKER: Honourable Members, the question is that the Motion be taken through all its stages this day.

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

I think the ayes have it.

Re-Appointment of Ombudsman Motion 2016.

HON.
D. BARROW (Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Public Service, Energy and Public Utilities): Mr. Speaker, 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 was appointed as Ombudsman for a period of three (3) years with effect from 1st January 2013, pursuant to a Resolution adopted by this House on 14th December 2012 and by the Senate on 19th December 2012; !
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6 AND WHEREAS, under section 4(1) of the Ombudsman Act, a person appointed as Ombudsman is, subject to the provisions of the said section 4, eligible for re-appointment at the expiry of his initial term of office; AND WHEREAS, MR. LIONEL ARZU continues to possess the relevant qualifications and fulfils the requirements for appointment to the office of Ombudsman, as contained in the Ombudsman Act; !

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NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that this Honourable House, being satisfied that MR. LIONEL ARZU is a fit and proper person to be re- appointed as Ombudsman, recommends to the Governor-General that MR. LIONEL ARZU be re-appointed as Ombudsman for a further period of one (1) year with effect from 1st January 2016, on his existing terms and conditions.

This Motion has the recommendation of the Cabinet.

HON.
HON.

F. FONSECA (Leader of the Opposition): Mr. Speaker, we regrettably wish to say that this is not a Motion that we can support on this side of the House.

And we wish to place on record that over the past few years that Mr. Arzu has served as the Ombudsman we have received, and many of my colleagues have reported to me, these complaints and concerns about the level of inactivity and ineffectiveness of the Office of the Ombudsman over the past few years.
So we are very, very concerned about that, and some of that inactivity and effectiveness has been reflected in his very own reports coming out of his office.

And our senses, Mr. Speaker, and it is certainly not personal at all, we believe that Mr. Arzu is a decent man.

But certainly our sense is that, the public, he does not enjoy as the Ombudsman the level of trust and confidence that his predecessors, the two previous Ombudsmen, enjoyed.
So regrettably this is not a Motion, Mr. Speaker, that we can support.

We believe that that Office of Ombudsman should be led by someone who is more strongly committed to defending and protecting the rights of Belizean citizens.

(Applause) HON.

D. BARROW (Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Public Service, Energy and Public Utilities): Mr. Speaker, I respect what the Honourable Leader of the Opposition has said.

Of course, I don’t agree with it.


As far as we are able to determine, Mr. Arzu has discharged his duties vigorously and is well respected, not only here at home but abroad.

He has attended a number of seminars and conferences, and the reports suggest to us that he has always acquitted himself well.

(Applause) MR. SPEAKER: Honourable Members, that Motion is referred to the Constitution and Foreign Affairs Committee for examination, consideration and report.

HON.
HON.

D. BARROW (Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Public Service, Energy and Public Utilities): Mr. Speaker, I seek the indulgence of the Honourable House to have the Motion taken through all its stages this day.

MR. SPEAKER: Honourable Members, the question is that the Motion !

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7 be taken through all its stages this day.

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the ayes have it.

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

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Re-Appointment of Contractor-General Motion, 2016. !

HON.
D. BARROW (Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Public Service, Energy and Public Utilities): Mr. Speaker, I move - WHEREAS, section 3(2) of the Contractor-General Act, Chapter 6 of the Substantive Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2011, provides that the Contractor-General 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. GODWIN ARZU was appointed as Contractor- General for a period of three (3) years with effect from 1st January 2009, pursuant to a Resolution adopted by this House on 11th December 2008 and by the Senate on 16th December 2008; AND WHEREAS, under section 5(1) of the Contractor-General Act, a person appointed as Contractor-General is eligible for re-appointment at the expiry of his initial term of office; AND WHEREAS, MR. GODWIN ARZU was re-appointed as Contractor-General for a period of two (2) years with effect from 1st January 2012, which term expired on 31st December 2013, and was again re-appointed for a further period of two years with effect from 1st January 2014, which term expired on 31st December 2015; and on each occasion the re-appointment was pursuant to a Resolution adopted respectively by this House and the Senate; AND WHEREAS, MR. GODWIN ARZU continues to possess the relevant qualifications and fulfils the requirements for appointment to the office of Contractor-General, as contained in the Contractor-General Act; !
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NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that this Honourable House, being satisfied that MR. GODWIN ARZU is a fit and proper person to be re- appointed as Contractor-General, recommends to the Governor-General that MR. GODWIN ARZU be re-appointed as Contractor-General for a further period of two (2) years with effect from 1st January 2016, on his immediately pre-existing terms and conditions.

This Motion has the recommendation of the Cabinet.


MR. SPEAKER: Honourable Members, that Motion is referred to the Constitution and Foreign Affairs Committee for examination, consideration and report.

HON.

D. BARROW (Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Public Service, Energy and Public Utilities): Mr. Speaker, I seek the indulgence of the House to have the Motion taken through all its stages this day.

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8 MR. SPEAKER: Honourable Members, the question is that the Motion be taken through all its stages this day.

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

I think the ayes have it.

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ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER MR. SPEAKER: Honourable Members, it has been agreed that the following Motions passed this day: 1.

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European Investment Bank – Eight Million Euro Line of Credit to the Development Finance Corporation Loan and Guarantee Motion, 2016; !
Re-Appointment of the Ombudsman Motion, 2016; and Re-Appointment of the Contractor- General Motion, 2016. !

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As you are well aware, under Standing Order No.

74, all proposed Legislation, Messages, Petitions, Motions and other matters relating to the subject mentioned under the title of each Standing Committee shall be referred by the House to such Committee for examination, consideration and report to the House.
The only logical way for this to be done, other than by suspension of Standing Orders, is for me to suspend the Sitting to enable the Finance and Economic Development Committee and the Constitution and Foreign Affairs Committee to examine, consider and report to the House on the Motions.

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

I think the ayes have it.


The Sitting is therefore suspended until the Finance and Economic Development Committee and the Constitution and Foreign Affairs Committee have concluded their business.

As we rise, Members of the House, could we give about a thirty-second silence in honour of the passing of the late Speaker of the House, the Honourable Bernard Quintin Augustus Pitts.!

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The Meeting suspended at10:30 A.M.

The Meeting resumed at 10:55 A.M.

PRESENTATION OF REPORTS FROM SELECT COMMITTEES !

HON.
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J. SALDIVAR (Minister of National Security): Mr. Speaker, I rise to give the Report from the Finance and Economic Development Committee on the European Investment Bank – Eight Million Euro Line of Credit to the Development Finance Corporation Loan and Guarantee Motion, 2016.

In considering the matter referred to them, your Committee held its !

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9 meeting on the 22nd January 2016. !

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Your Committee considered the Motion and has agreed that it be returned to the House for adoption.

Copy of the Minutes of the proceedings of the meeting held is attached and forms part of this Report.

MR. SPEAKER: Honourable Members, that Report is ordered to lie on the Table.

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HON.

P. FABER (Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports): Mr. Speaker, I rise to lay on the Table Sessional Papers No.
HR10/1/12 - Report from the Constitution and Foreign Affairs Committee on the Re-Appointment of the Ombudsman Motion, 2016; and No.

HR11/1/12 - Report from the Constitution and Foreign Affairs Committee on the Re-Appointment of the Contractor-General Motion, 2016.

In considering the matter referred to them, your Committee held its meeting on the 22nd January 2016.

Your Committee considered the Motions and has agreed that they be returned to the House for adoption.
Copy of the Minutes of the proceedings of the meeting held is attached and forms part of this Report.

MR. SPEAKER: Honourable Members, those Reports are ordered to lie on the Table.

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PUBLIC BUSINESS A.

GOVERNMENT BUSINESS II MOTIONS !

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European Investment Bank – Eight Million Euro Line of Credit to the Development Finance Corporation Loan and Guarantee Motion, 2016.

HON.
HON.

D. BARROW (Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Public Service, Energy and Public Utilities): Mr. Speaker, with your permission not to repeat the recitals, I move - NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that this Honourable House, being satisfied that the Loan would contribute to the social and economic development of Belize by improving the capacity of DFC to provide funding on an economically sustainable and environmentally acceptable basis: !
(i) approves that the DFC may borrow the said sum of Euro 8 Million from the EIB on the terms and conditions set out above and further authorizes the Board of Directors of the !

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(i) (ii) DFC to execute and deliver the Loan Agreement and all other documents associated therewith; and further approves and confirms that the Government may enter into a Guarantee Agreement with the EIB on the terms and conditions set out above, and further authorizes the Minister of Finance to execute and deliver the said Guarantee Agreement and all other documents associated therewith.
MR. SPEAKER: Honourable Members, the question is, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that this Honourable House, being satisfied that the Loan would contribute to the social and economic development of Belize by improving the capacity of DFC to provide funding on an economically sustainable and environmentally acceptable basis: !
approves that the DFC may borrow the said sum of Euro 8 Million from the EIB on the terms and conditions set out above and further authorizes the Board of Directors of the DFC to execute and deliver the Loan Agreement and all other documents associated therewith; and further approves and confirms that the Government may enter into a Guarantee Agreement with the EIB on the terms and conditions set out above, and further authorizes the the said Minister of Finance to execute and deliver Guarantee Agreement and all other documents associated therewith.
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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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Re-Appointment of the Ombudsman Motion, 2016.

HON.
D. BARROW (Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Public Service, Energy and Public Utilities): Mr. Speaker, with your permission not to repeat the recitals, I move - NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that this Honourable House, being satisfied that MR. LIONEL ARZU is a fit and proper person to be re-appointed as Ombudsman, recommends to the Governor-General that MR. LIONEL ARZU be re-appointed as Ombudsman for a further period of one (1) year with effect from 1st January 2016, on his existing terms and conditions.
MR. SPEAKER: Honourable Members, the question is, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that this Honourable House, being satisfied that MR. LIONEL ARZU is a fit and proper person to be re-appointed as Ombudsman, recommends to the Governor-General that MR. LIONEL ARZU be re-appointed as Ombudsman for a further period of one (1) year with effect from 1st January 2016, on his existing terms and conditions.

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

I think the ayes have it.

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11 3.

Re-Appointment of the Contractor-General Motion, 2016.

HON.
D. BARROW (Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Public Service, Energy and Public Utilities): Mr. Speaker, with your permission not to repeat the recitals, I move - NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that this Honourable House, being satisfied that MR. GODWIN ARZU is a fit and proper person to be re-appointed as Contractor-General, recommends to the Governor- General that MR. GODWIN ARZU be re-appointed as Contractor-General for a further period of two (2) years with effect from 1st January 2016, on his immediately pre-existing terms and conditions.
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MR. SPEAKER: Honourable Members, the question is, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that this Honourable House, being satisfied that MR. GODWIN ARZU is a fit and proper person to be re-appointed as Contractor-General, recommends to the Governor-General that MR. GODWIN ARZU be re-appointed as Contractor-General for a further period of two (2) years with effect from 1st January 2016, on his immediately pre-existing terms and conditions.

All those in favour, kindly say aye; those against, kindly say no.
I think the ayes have it.

III BILLS FOR SECOND READING 1.

Private Pensions Bill, 2015.

HON.

D. BARROW (Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Public Service, Energy and Public Utilities): Mr. Speaker, I move the second reading of a Bill for an Act to make provision for the registration of Private Pensions; the supervision of private pensions; to offer better protection to private pensioners; and to provide for matters connected therewith and incidental thereto.
I should indicate, Mr. Speaker, that I will be moving an amendment in the Committee of the whole House just to make clear that the Act will not apply to the pension funds, the pension plans of the three utility companies, that is, BEL, BWSL and BTL.

Thank you.
Thank you.

MR. SPEAKER: Honourable Members, the question is that the Bill for an Act to make provision for the registration of Private Pensions; the supervision of private pensions; to offer better protection to private pensioners; and to provide for matters connected therewith and incidental thereto, be read a second time.

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

I think the ayes have it.

Bill read a second time.

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Treasury Bills (Amendment) Bill, 2015.

HON.


D. BARROW (Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Public !

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12 Service, Energy and Public Utilities): Mr. Speaker, I move the second reading of a Bill for an Act to amend the Treasury Bills Act, Chapter 83 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2000-2003; to raise the principal sums represented by Treasury Bills and Treasury Notes outstanding at any one time; and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

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MR. SPEAKER: Honourable Members, the question is that the Bill for an Act to amend the Treasury Bills Act, Chapter 83 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2000-2003; to raise the principal sums represented by Treasury Bills and Treasury Notes outstanding at any one time; and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto, be read a second time.

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

I think the ayes have it.

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Bill read a second time.

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3.


Belize Island Holdings Facility Development Bill, 2015.

HON.
G. VEGA (Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry, the Environment and Sustainable Development on behalf of the Minister of Economic Development, Petroleum, Investment, Trade and Commerce): Mr. Speaker, I move the second reading of a Bill for an Act to provide for certain exemptions from taxes and duties proposed to be granted to the Developer by the Agreement; to provide for the effective implementation of the Facility; and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
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MR. SPEAKER: Honourable Members, the question is that the Bill for an Act to provide for certain exemptions from taxes and duties proposed to be granted to the Developer by the Agreement; to provide for the effective implementation of the Facility; and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto, be read a second time.

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

I think the ayes have it.

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Bill read a second time.

4.


Belize National Coast Guard Service (Amendment) Bill, 2015.

HON.
J. SALDIVAR (Minister of National Security): Mr. Speaker, I rise to move the second reading of a Bill for an Act to amend the Belize National Coast Guard Service Act, Chapter 131.01 of the Substantive Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2011; to provide for the change of name of the Belize National Coast Guard Service to the Belize Coast Guard, and the clarification of the duties and functions of the Coast Guard; to bring the Act into conformity with the Constitution of Belize by providing that powers of appointment and otherwise in relation to members of the Coast Guard are exercisable by the Security Services Commission; and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
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MR. SPEAKER: Honourable Members, the question is that the Bill for an Act to amend the Belize National Coast Guard Service Act, Chapter 131.01 of !

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13 the Substantive Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2011; to provide for the change of name of the Belize National Coast Guard Service to the Belize Coast Guard, and the clarification of the duties and functions of the Coast Guard; to bring the Act into conformity with the Constitution of Belize by providing that powers of appointment and otherwise in relation to members of the Coast Guard are exercisable by the Security Services Commission; and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto, be read a second time.
All those in favour, kindly say aye; those against, kindly say no.

I think the ayes have it.

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Bill read a second time.

IV COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE HOUSE ON BILLS !

MR. SPEAKER: Honourable Members, the House will now resolve into a Committee of the whole House to consider the Bills that were read a second time.

I would like to ask the public in the galleries to kindly leave during this portion of the Sitting.

MR. SPEAKER left the chair.

[In the Committee] The Deputy Speaker in the Chair.

1.
1.

Private Pensions Bill, 2015.

Clauses 1 and 2 agreed to.

Clause 3 agreed to with the following amendments: In Clause 3 (1) Delete the full stop appearing at the end of paragraph (d) and substitute therefor a semi-colon.

Insert next after paragraph (d) the following – “(e) a pension plan, established prior to the commencement date, for employees of any of the following entities: !

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(i) Belize Electricity Limited; Belize Telemedia Limited; (ii) (iii) Belize Water Services Limited.” Clauses 4 and 5 agreed to.

Clause 6 agreed to with the following amendments: In clause 6 (1) !

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14 Delete paragraph (e) and substitute there for the following – !

“ (e) a financial institution licensed in the prescribed manner as an administrator under this Act;”.

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Insert in the closing words immediately after the word “Belize” the words “, being a person that the Supervisor is satisfied is fit and proper to administer the pension plan”.

Clauses 7 to 68 agreed to.

Bill to be reported back to the House with amendments.

2.

Treasury Bills (Amendment) Bill, 2015.

Long Title agreed to with the following amendments: Insert before the words “Laws of” the word “Substantive”.

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Delete the numerals “2000-2003” and substitute therefor the numerals “2011”.
Insert immediately after the words “raise the” the words “limit of”.

Clause 1 agreed to.

Clause 2 agreed to with the following amendments: !

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Delete from paragraph (a) the words “in paragraph (i)”, and substitute therefor the words “by renumbering paragraph (i) as paragraph (a), and in paragraph (a), as renumbered”.

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Delete from paragraph (b) the words “in paragraph (ii)”, and substitute therefor the words “by renumbering paragraph (ii) as paragraph (b), and in paragraph (b), as renumbered”.
Bill to be reported back to the House with amendments.

3.

Belize Island Holdings Facility Development Bill, 2015.

Clauses 1 to 8 agreed to.

Bill to be reported back to the House without amendment.

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Belize National Coast Guard Service (Amendment)Bill, 2015.

Clauses 1 to 7 agreed to.

Bill to be reported back to the House without amendment.

MR. SPEAKER in the Chair.


IV BILLS FOR THIRD READING 1.

Private Pensions Bill, 2015.

HON.

D. BARROW (Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Public Service, Energy and Public Utilities): Mr. Speaker, I rise to report that the Committee of the whole House has considered the Private Pensions Bill, 2015, and passed it with amendments.

I now move the third reading of that Bill.


MR. SPEAKER: Honourable Members, the question is that the Bill for an Act to make provision for the registration of Private Pensions; the supervision of private pensions; to offer better protection to private pensioners; and to provide for matters connected therewith and incidental thereto, be read a third time.

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

I think the ayes have it.

Bill read a third time.

2.


Treasury Bills (Amendment) Bill, 2015.

HON.

D. BARROW (Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Public Service, Energy and Public Utilities): Mr. Speaker, I rise to report that the Committee of the whole House has considered the Treasury Bills (Amendment) Bill, 2015, and passed it with amendments.

I now move the third reading of that Bill.


MR. SPEAKER: Honourable Members, the question is that the Bill for an Act to amend the Treasury Bills Act, Chapter 83 of the Substantive Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2011; to raise the limit of principal sums represented by Treasury Bills and Treasury Notes outstanding at any one time; and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto, be read a third time.

All those in favour, kindly say aye; those against, kindly say no.
I think the ayes have it.

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Bill read a third time.

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Belize Island Holdings Facility Development Bill, 2015.

HON.
HON.

G. VEGA (Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry, the Environment and Sustainable Development on behalf of the Minister of Economic Development, Petroleum, Investment, Trade and Commerce): Mr. Speaker, I rise to report that the Committee of the whole House has considered the Belize Island Holdings Facility Development Bill, 2015, and passed it without amendment.

I now move the third reading of that Bill.


MR. SPEAKER: Honourable Members, the question is that the Bill for an Act to provide for certain exemptions from taxes and duties proposed to be granted to the Developer by the Agreement; to provide for the effective implementation of the Facility; and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto, be read a third time.

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

I think the ayes have it.

Bill read a third time.

4.


Belize National Coast Guard Service (Amendment) Bill, 2015.

HON.

J. SALDIVAR (Minister of National Security): Mr. Speaker, I rise to report that the Committee of the whole House has considered the Belize National Coast Guard Service (Amendment) Bill, 2015, and passed it without amendment.

I now move the third reading of that Bill.
MR. SPEAKER: Honourable Members, the question is that the Bill for an Act to amend the Belize National Coast Guard Service Act, Chapter 131.01 of the Substantive Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2011; to provide for the change of name of the Belize National Coast Guard Service to the Belize Coast Guard, and the clarification of the duties and functions of the Coast Guard; to bring the Act into conformity with the Constitution of Belize by providing that powers of appointment and otherwise in relation to members of the Coast Guard are exercisable by the Security Services Commission; and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto, be read a third time.
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All those in favour, kindly say aye; those against, kindly say no.

I think the ayes have it.

Bill read a third time.

ADJOURNMENT HON.

D. BARROW (Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Public Service, Energy and Public Utilities): Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do !

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HON.

M. ESPAT (Toledo East): Mr. Speaker, I would like to address the problem of investment in Belize.

We just passed a Bill on the cruise terminal in the south.
I believe that when that Bill first came to the House we did not agree on that 25 years exclusivity that they are giving that particular company.

And, in the meantime, we have had maybe two other Belizean companies that did not get any favour with this government.

Why is it that we tend to want to support these companies which are very rich and yet they want everything free?

That is a terrible thing because we have furniture makers in this country, and all of us sit down in this House.
They are people who can make beautiful furniture out of solid material, and yet we will give these companies duty exemption on furniture.

Why is it that we cannot treat our Belizean people the same?

We should be encouraging our Belizean people to get into business.

But yet we give all the privilege to these people who come from outside.

What will the people in the south gain from all of this?

Where will they visit?


MR. SPEAKER: I was giving you some leeway, Member, because I thought you were going to a different point.

But that matter has been debated and voted on, Member.

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HON.

M. ESPAT (Toledo East): You went too fast for me.

But anyway, Mr. Speaker, we are speaking.

MR. SPEAKER: No, man.

Whenever we started the debate, I looked to the left and I looked to the Leader and nothing.

HON.

M. ESPAT (Toledo East): Well, I didn’t see you, sorry.
MR. SPEAKER: It’s hard to not see me you know.

HON.

M. ESPAT (Toledo East): But anyway I am still speaking about investments in this country.

We need to protect our Belizean people when it comes to investments in this country.

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister had a big fight with the demon, Michael Ashcroft, with investment.
He took away BTL and had to pay millions of dollars that the Belizean people have to pay back, and now I understand the Prime Minister in his speech is saying that he will now go back and they will study the Port of Belize Project along with who but with the demon, Michael Ashcroft.

So what kind of game is going on here between the Government and Michael Ashcroft?
And every time we get into a fight with Michael Ashcroft he ends up taking away more money than you can imagine at the expense of the Belizean people.

(Applause) Mr. Speaker, we know the study that was done at the Port of Belize and the advice that they got in that regard.

MR. SPEAKER: Okay, Member, I don’t want to interrupt you.

It gives me no pleasure.

But I have to ask you to hone in on your point.

HON.

M. ESPAT (Toledo East): I am talking about investment.
MR. SPEAKER: Yes, but you can speak until midnight on ten different things.

It’s one issue you know.

You are cleverly trying to talk about a million !

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18 things under one heading.

If you want to talk about the port facility talk about just that.

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HON.

M. ESPAT (Toledo East): The investment has to be done and the study has to be done.
Mr. Speaker, they are saying that this project is not feasible for that area, and yet we are going back again to study the same thing all over again.

So, Mr. Speaker, my advice to the government of the day is that we have to take into consideration our Belizean people who are interested in investing in this country.

Thank you.

(Applause) HON.


D. BARROW (Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Public Service, Energy and Public Utilities): Mr. Speaker, with respect to cruise ports and with respect to Port Loyola, I don’t know which study the Member is speaking of.

He says that that study unknown to me, concluded that it was not feasible to put a cruise port at Port Loyola.

That’s not my understanding.

My understanding was that the study commissioned envied by Carnival Cruise Lines concluded just the opposite.
The reason the port never got built was because of your fine brother.

Wasn’t it?

You talked about making sure we are not taking advantage of people.

We give advantage to Belizeans.

No greater advantage could have been given to a Belizean than was given by your government to your brother with respect to the Port Loyola Cruise Port.

As usual, he cocked up and chased Carnival away.

So please don’t come here and talk about it’s not being feasible to do a cruise port at Port Loyola.
And, with respect to the question of exclusivity, it is true that this government gave Norwegian Cruise Lines a 25-year exclusive contract for the cruise port in the south, a port that initially you supported as I recollect.

When you were dealing with NCL, and I won’t, let me not get out of order.

I won’t say why you supported at the time you did.

But you and the Member for Toledo West certainly supported initially.

Now the question of exclusivity, we are not like you.
That Port Loyola Cruise Port that we talked about you had given exclusivity to your brother and to Carnival, and then you turned around and you gave exclusivity to FSTV.

Or do I have it the other way around?

You gave it to FSTV exclusive, and then you turned around and you gave your brother and Carnival at Port Loyola a similar exclusive.

You fellows are magicians you know.

You really know how to jump through hoops.

I am telling you.
I am telling you.

It is a kind of Alice in Wonderland or through the looking-glass type of thing where words mean what you want them to mean.

There are no objective definitions, no objective criteria.

You gave two exclusives.

That’s a hell of a thing, what a contradiction in terms!

But in any event we gave the exclusive to NCL before there was a challenge to the question of exclusivity raised by the developer who was interested in doing Stake Bank.
That developer challenged one of the two exclusives that you had given, the one to FSTV because, as I said, the one to Carnival and Luke went, well, I can’t say went south, that might be taken literally, that collapsed.

So that was no longer an issue.


But the Stake Bank Developer, who was the person you originally gave the exclusive contract to with respect to what became the Fort Street Tourism Village and who in turn sold his concession to Royal Caribbean and Diamonds International, challenged that exclusive contract that you had given and succeeded in getting a judgment of the Supreme Court saying that exclusivity cannot stand.

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Now with respect to Norwegian Cruise Lines they and the government !

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19 have to take account of that fact.

There is now a judgment of the Supreme Court What it means apart from the implications for striking down exclusivity.

Norwegian Cruise Lines is that, when the Stake Bank Developer comes to government and says, “I want a 25-year exclusive for my Stake Bank Project,” just after he succeeded in getting a judgment from the Supreme Court saying “exclusives must go out the window,” of course, government can’t countenance that.
When we did give an exclusive, it was before the ruling of the Supreme Court.

That is all that is the rogue with Stake Bank you know.

We are perfectly prepared and have told that to the developer to have him proceed.

But he can’t proceed on the basis of exclusivity which he is demanding because it is not within our legal power to give him exclusivity.
Coming back to Port Loyola, when Carnival was going to do it with your brother, their feasibility study showed that it was technically sound, it was absolutely doable.

Now things may have changed, and so where we are now is at a point where various parties, not just interests associated with Michael Ashcroft, various parties would like to look again at Port Loyola to determine whether a And, of course, the government cruise port there would still be feasible.
Those parties can’t get any encourages that, whoever the parties may be.

exclusive if they determine the project is feasible, and they are to proceed because the Supreme Court, I repeat, has said, “You cannot give exclusives”.

So, while we encourage the exploratory interest that the parties have in Port Loyola, we are far from reaching a point where we can say that there is any material chance of these people actually proceeding with the project.

That is completely premature.


But I want to make clear that we mean to get a cruise port for the Belize City Harbour.

And you don’t have to go to technical.

Well, you can’t go to Technical anymore because you all broke that up.
But you don’t have to go to Technical to know that, if it is feasible, the best possible site for the alongside docking facility that would allow for passengers to get off onto the mainland, from ship to shore, and then take off to the various points throughout the country is Port Loyola.
So, if we all as nationalists have an interest in seeing cruise tourism continue and in seeing Belize City continue to benefit, in view of what the cruise lines are telling us that we must ultimately get the alongside docking facility, Port Loyola, in principle, is the best place for that, and the government Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

will encourage interested parties to look at that.

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HON.
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HON.

J. ESPAT (Cayo South): It seems that the Honourable Prime Minister is singing for his supper, Mr. Speaker.

(Applause) Mr. Speaker, I would like to speak on an issue that is important, and it pertains to land.

MR. SPEAKER: If I may ask you because you’ve done it in the past, what particular issue about land?

HON.

J. ESPAT (Cayo South): It is the land distribution for the needy residents of Cayo South, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, about maybe 2 years to 3 years ago we had a situation in the Valley of Peace where 31 farmers were being evicted from a development area.

We got in touch with the owners of this development, the Santander Group, and we managed to come to an agreement as to how we could make sure that people who were using the land from 1981 have access to land so that they can be able to farm these land.

It was an agreement, Mr. Speaker, with 3 parties involved.
It was Santander as the developer, it was the !

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20 residents of Cayo South with our participation, and it was the Government of Belize.

So it was a threesome, you want to call it that.


Mr. Speaker, I must say that Santander Group have fulfilled everything that they had promised to the farmers, meaning they have located the land, they have done their initial surveys, they have developed the land and put in the subdivision, and they have put in the water system that was agreed to by the attorneys.
And then the Santander Group went to the third party which is the Government of Belize previously under the leadership of the Deputy Prime Minister who I also met, and we spoke about it briefly.

Mr. Speaker, it is now going for over 6 months, and I, as the Area Representative for these people in 31 families, Mr. Speaker, in the Valley of Peace, went to see the Santander Group to see how far we were because the agreement said that everything should have been completed by August of last year.
We visited the property, as I said, and everything has been done, and the Santander Group has reported to us that they have tried all that they could to make sure that the Government of Belize, specifically the Ministry of Lands, issues the land certificate to these needy and poor farmers.

I understand that there has been a change in the Ministry and the Honourable Member from Orange Walk North is not the Minister anymore.
But we have the junior Minister here, the Member from Belize Rural Central, if I’m not mistaken, and the Senator now, the Honourable Godwin Hulse, is the Minister of Lands.

But, Mr. Speaker, these farmers need their titles, and it’s been too long, and now two parties are starting to lose faith in the agreed proposal that was made.

And it will be a sad situation, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Contact your colleague, Member.


Similarly how you contacted your colleague, can’t you contact your colleague who is, I mean he is your colleague, the Minister of Natural Resources?

HON.

J. ESPAT (Cayo South): Will you allow me to finish my presentation, Mr. Speaker?

MR. SPEAKER: No, no, I am saying that I have to determine what you are saying is urgent.

death to these people.

HON.

J. ESPAT (Cayo South): It is urgent.


It is a matter of life and MR. SPEAKER: Yes, so then you, as the Member for Cayo South, don’t you want to contact the current Minister of Natural Resources?

HON.

J. ESPAT (Cayo South): We have contacted the Ministry, Mr. Speaker.

But from you read the news last night there seems to be a total chaos in that Ministry at this present time.

(Applause) Mr. Speaker, but the land issue is not only about the Valley of Peace.
Mr. Speaker, we are also waiting for the judiciary to be able to give us a judgment on the Cotton Tree situation.

Mr. Speaker, again, we are waiting, and the land situation in Cayo South has not been resolved.

Government seems to be happy with spending millions of dollars of people’s money, but when it comes to the services for the poor people of the rural communities there seems to be no interest.
So, Mr. Speaker, I am bringing it out publicly because these farmers that I represent are the same farmers that send their products to the Belize City Market where you buy your vegetables, Mr. !

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It also affects all the other markets in San Ignacio, Belmopan and the surrounding communities, Mr. Speaker.
And, if these farmers can’t have access to their land to be able to produce the products that we need, then we are having a serious problem when it pertains to being self-sufficient in this country.

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Apart from that we are having a serious crime issue in the western region of this country, Mr. Speaker.

And, if farmers and well-abiding citizens don’t have means of income or don’t have means of producing for their families, then the crime rate will just escalate, Mr. Speaker.
So there is a serious problem happening here in the western region of this country, and I am appealing to the government and the junior Minister is here, please make sure that these farmers get what is theirs.

And it’s not government land that you are giving.

It’s a simple signature based on the fact that the Santander Group is giving these lands to people.

It’s not that government has to acquire land, or government has to take away land, or government has to do anything.
It’s a matter of simple bureaucracy where the Minister has to sign the land documents for these needy farmers.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

(Applause) HON.

D. BARROW (Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Public Service, Energy and Public Utilities): Let me just say that I will personally speak to the Minister of Lands to make enquiries concerning the issue he raised.

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HON.


O. HABET (Cayo North East): Mr. Speaker, I rise to address a matter that I believe is of national concern, and this is in regards to road safety.

At the national level I must say that we can see vast improvements in some of the infrastructure, especially on the lining, the median lining of the roads especially on the western and northern corridors.
However, there are some complaints from drivers indicating that some of the median lines are not appropriately placed, especially where you are going up steep or blind hills and you will have the area where you can overtake where you should not overtake.
But my concern here, Mr. Speaker, is that, apart from the median lines which are placed and which are very good, there is a need for the placement of the sidelines because the sidelines are very important for us to be able to look at, especially during the night when there is upcoming opposite traffic and then you are blinded by some of the new types of lights that are available today.

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I must also say that there has been some improvements on these roads, especially with the placement of the guardrails.
But there have been complaints by some drivers that some of the guardrails are not appropriately placed.

They are there to protect life but they should not be placed at a certain position where they can cause harm or injury if you run off the road.

There was an incident where someone had lost his leg because he chopped off his leg right on the guardrail itself.

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Mr. Speaker, coming to my neck of the woods, in San Ignacio we have the San Ignacio Community Hospital, and there is a portion of the road between San Ignacio to the hospital which is on the Bullet Tree Road which is extremely broken.

It is very, very dark, and so my request today is that something has to be done to fix this road because the people travelling with their sick loved ones to the hospital are saying that it is like being on a rough mechanical ride.
But that area is And this hospital gives access to the constituents of the very, very dark.

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22 Honourable Members from Cayo North, Cayo West, Cayo Central, and mine in Cayo North East.

We have the towns of San Ignacio and Santa Elena and Benque Viejo, the urban area comprising about 25,000 people and the rural communities of about 22 villages for another 20,000 for a total of over 45,000 people, that potentially can access that hospital.
So I request, Mr. Speaker, that something be done to fix this road and to put lights in that area possibly through the Ministry of Public Utilities for the lights also.

Thank you.

(Applause) HON.

O. REQUENA (Toledo West): Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak on a matter of public importance.
This has to do with the unfair prices of fuel to Belizeans and the Belizean economy in the context of a falling world price on the barrel of fuel, Mr. Speaker, and its consequence on the economy.

Mr. Speaker, sometime around mid-December Belizeans woke up to find substantial increases in the prices of fuel at the pump.

Mr. Speaker, this is in the context of the prices of fuel per barrel going down on the world market, Mr. Speaker, not going up, going down.
But yet in Belize the prices of fuel have gone up.

It’s just the reverse, Mr. Speaker.

Belizeans are very concerned, Mr. Speaker.

They are very outraged that this government has seen it fit to continue to tax, to gouge the taxes on Belizeans, Mr. Speaker.

The people are very much concerned, and they are saying, how could it be when you look at the world market, as I said before, the prices have gone down significantly.
If you look at our neighbours in Guatemala, in Mexico, and other countries, prices are going down substantially.

But yet in Belize it is the reverse, Mr. Speaker.

I want us to compare some prices here, Mr. Speaker.

Let’s look at the figures.

One year ago, when the world price per barrel of fuel on the world market was somewhere around US$115.00 per barrel, prices in Belize at the pumps were somewhere around $9 and change per premium.
Today, Mr. Speaker, today the prices on the world market have gone down to US$28.00 per barrel, Mr. Speaker, from us $115.00 to US$28.00 per barrel.

I just checked because I made sure I did my homework, and I checked at the gas station in Toledo, Mr. Speaker.

And I want to report to this nation that the price of premium is $9.52 at US$28.00 per barrel on the world market.

It is $8.32 for regular.

And, of course, diesel which drives this economy, the productive sector, is still remaining at $6.92.
Mr. Speaker, this is serious cause for concern, and it begs the question, why is it like that when this government promised the Belizeans a bed of roses before the elections?

“The best is yet to come!” Well, the worse has hit us now where when the prices of fuel have gone down drastically and the government sees it fit to tax and squeeze the Belizean man, and woman even greater, Mr. Speaker.
(Applause) But, Mr. Speaker, it speaks to a fundamental issue in this country under the UDP Government, Mr. Speaker, that this government is certainly desperate for funds to balance their budget.

Mr. Speaker, that’s what it is.

They are desperate.

And none other than the Member from Queen’s Square, the Prime Minister, had to get up and defend saying, “Oh, we have to raise the prices in the context of the world market lowering the prices.

We have to raise it because Petrocaribe is finished.
It is done.” But that is not what they promised the Belizean people prior to the General Elections, and, in fact, we know the infamous speech in Cayo North East, when the Prime Minister was there, he boasted, “We have millions.

We have millions.

We have millions.” So why is it, Mr. Speaker,… !

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M. FINNEGAN (Minister of Housing and Urban !

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23 Development): Mr. Speaker, on a point of order, will he talk about oil?
Or will he talk about political campaign and political speeches?

If he will talk about oil, Sir, let him talk about oil.

MR. SPEAKER: I am waiting for him to tie it in, and if he doesn’t tie it in then I will stop him.

HON.

O. REQUENA (Toledo West): I want to assure the Member from Mesopotamia that I can connect it, Sir, because, whilst they boasted, and you all boasted there, that you had millions, why is it that you now see it fit to squeeze the poor Belizean man and woman, my friends?
That is unfair.

(Applause) But we all know, Mr. Speaker, and I will tell you.

I listened very keenly, and, Mr. Speaker, I cannot proceed unless you take control of the proceedings, Mr. Speaker.

MR. SPEAKER: Your colleague is involved in the exchange you know.

Please proceed, Member.

HON.

O. REQUENA (Toledo West): Mr. Speaker, I have the floor now, and I ask you to please allow me to continue.

MR. SPEAKER: Well, tell the Member for Mesopotamia and the Member for Cayo South.

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O. REQUENA (Toledo West): I listened very keenly to the Prime Minister you know as he just mentioned a while ago, and he said, “You guys on that other side are magicians.” He accused us of being magicians.
But I will tell you what better magicians we have than them because 3 or 4 days after they increased the price of fuel the spin doctors went on radio and television and said, “We have now lowered the price of fuel.” Can you imagine that, Mr. Talking about magicians, Mr. Speaker, they have to come clean, Speaker?

exactly.

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But I want to speak, Mr. Speaker, about the consequences of the high prices of fuel on the Belizean economy, Mr. Speaker.
The bus industry is suffering; our bus operators are crying, man, that the price of fuel is so high.

Why is it that government does not see it fit to reduce the price of fuel because prices of fuel have gone down to ensure that our bus people can survive and make a little more money, Mr. Speaker?

This is important.

The productive sector, man, depends upon fuel, whether it is bananas, whether it is citrus, whether it is other form of agriculture.

They are dependent upon fuel.


Man, if you lower the price of fuel, it is an incentive for other people to invest in agriculture.

We need to grow this economy, Mr. Speaker.

That is what we need to do, create an economy where people can live lives of decency.

And not dependency and we can do that by reducing the price of fuel, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I also want to, and I’m going to tie it in very keenly.
Our poor farmers in the north that can’t sell their carrots, do you know how much they have to spend in fuel to get out their products?

But yet they are not protected and they are given difficulties, Mr. Speaker, to be able to sell their product.

This is where we should be concerned man.

This thing is not about grandstanding.

If we truly love our people, love our farmers, love our Belizeans, then we have to get up and defend them and fight for them for what is right, Mr. Speaker.
(Applause) And, Mr. Speaker, I will tell you that Belizeans recognize that they have pull the wool over our eyes.

And I will tell you, Mr. Speaker, why.

We have seen where !

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24 every time before an election, whether it is town council election or a by-election, fuel price goes down.

But we are no longer in election mood.

So there is no problem in raising the prices.


I call today, Mr. Speaker, I make a call on this government to come fair, transparent, and just with the Belizean people.

Reduce the price of fuel so that the economy can benefit, considering that the prices of fuel have reduced drastically to US$28.00 per barrel on the world market!

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

(Applause) MR. SPEAKER: One second, Member, please.

HON.
HON.

D. BARROW (Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Public Service, Energy and Public Utilities): Mr. Speaker, in accordance with Standing Order 12 (8), I move that the proceedings on the matter on the Order Paper may be entered upon and proceeded with at this day’s Sitting at any hour though MR. SPEAKER: Honourable Members, the question is that the proceedings on the matter on the Order Paper may be entered upon and proceeded with at this day’s Sitting at any hour though opposed.
All those in favor, kindly say aye; those against, kindly say no.

I think the !

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Members and Ministers, please stop it, man.

Are you going like this until I recognize the Member for the rest of the meeting?

Please done with it.

Caribbean Shores.

HON.

K. MUSA (Caribbean Shores): Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to raise an issue of national importance and one that no doubt affects our economy, and I’m speaking in particular about the loss of correspondent-banking relations.
(Applause) Mr. Speaker, it’s no doubt an issue that affects businessmen and businesswomen, not only from my constituency of Caribbean Shores but from all of our constituencies.

It is, in fact, a very crippling effect that it has had on our economy, debilitating to the point where it is no longer possible to do business.

And I’m speaking, Mr. Speaker, in particular the purchase of goods and services from the United States and elsewhere.

I’m speaking about the use of credit cards.


I’m speaking about remittances that come home to our Belizean families from abroad.

That is the effect that it has had on our economy, a terrible effect.

And we need, Mr. Speaker, for this issue to be addressed, not only in Belize but on the world stage.
On the world stage we need to lobby, Mr. Speaker, because no doubt there has been a curtailing of trade relations, and some economists have gone even further to say that there has been a barrier to trade in our region, and it totally affects small, open economies like Belize.

I know, Mr. Speaker, that the Prime Minister earlier this year assumed Chairmanship of CARICOM.
I believe that would be a good starting point, as Chairman of CARICOM, to lobby with the Caribbean Community because it’s not only affecting Belize but all over the region.
So there has to be this lobbying effort on the world stage, not only in the Caribbean but taking it also, Mr. Speaker, to the WTO, the World Trade Organization, to make it an issue, to make it a development issue, Mr. Speaker, because, in truth and in fact, we can see where if we do not curtail the issue now there will be a decolonization of our !

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economy.

We will be completely dependent on the world super powers, Mr. Speaker, and that is not where we want to take our Belizean economy.
We want to be self-determined.

We want to be able to have our own economy, Mr. Speaker.

And so I urge the Prime Minister, as Chairman of CARICOM, to make that lobbying effort, to go to the WTO, and also to the United Nations, Mr. Speaker, the United Nations which is the champion of the right of people to self- determination.

(Applause) We have to take this issue seriously because right before the election we saw Belize Bank being the first local bank to be affected.
Now we hear that other banks are falling in line.

Other banks are being black listed.

It is soon going to be impossible for us to do business, and we need to take this matter very seriously because it’s going to affect our economies.

All of the pretending about the best is yet to come needs to stop.

(Applause) We need to get real.

We need to start to work, Mr. Speaker.

We need to start to work immediately to fix our economy.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

(Applause) HON.


D. BARROW (Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Public Service, Energy and Public Utilities): You know he started off by saying that you can’t do business, you can’t import, and then just before the end he said, “If this continues, we will not be able to do business.” But he had already said that business has stopped.

In other words, Mr. Speaker, right at the start of his speech he exaggerated, not to put too fine a point on it, he lied.
I wonder where you get that trait from, that liardness.

(Applause) Mr. Speaker, there is no doubt that this is a huge issue.

He utterly misunderstands the issue in talking about the WTO and the United Nations.

But let’s excuse his ignorance.

There is no doubt that the prospect of a complete loss in correspondent-banking relationships for a number of our banks in Belize is existential.
I don’t know if it’s maybe a function of youth to all of a sudden be struck by these epiphanies to encounter these startling revelations with respect to matters that have been obvious and in plain sight for long before the so-called revelation overtakes in this case, the Member for Caribbean Shores.

To say that we need to treat it with urgency, to say that we need to lobby is to state the obvious and to, in fact, get his tenses mixed up.

It’s not that we need to start to lobby.


It is that we have already started to lobby well before any assumption of Chairmanship of CARICOM on my part.

It is an issue that is on the regional agenda, but let us talk about what we in Belize have done and are doing, not what we will do.

It was widely reported that I took up this issue with President Obama at the Summit in Panama from as early as then.
In consequence of that, the President set up a meeting for the Governor of our Central Bank with US Treasury officials.

Notwithstanding that meeting, notwithstanding the fact that we and other countries continue to press, the situation does not yet appear to be near to a resolution.
After that meeting that the Governor of our Central Bank had with the US Treasury in Washington, the Treasury Department, because we continue to make noise, I just asked the US Ambassador to come to see me two weeks ago, as part of the continuing full-court press, the US Treasury convened a meeting in Panama in mid-December with the so-called Tier 1 banks, people like Bank of America and Bank of New York and Central Bankers of this region, the small countries, including those in Central America that have been affected, and there the Belize position was articulately and comprehensively laid out by the Governor of our Central Bank.
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I have announced and it has been widely reported that I am going to Washington, leaving this weekend, notwithstanding that 400 and fifty odd flights have been cancelled because of the winter storm that is looking to dump 2 feet of snow on Washington DC.
I am going to Washington, leading a team comprised of the Governor of the Central Bank, the Financial Secretary, and Ambassador Mark Espat, and, of course, we will be joined in Washington by our Ambassador to the US, Ambassador Andrews, precisely to make calls on all the key officials with respect to this issue.
We have confirmed meetings already with the Head of the FDIC, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, because that is the agency that regulates the State banks, including a bank called Whitney Bank out of Louisiana, it used to be in Belize some time ago, which is interested in pursuing correspondent banking relationships with our banks.

And I also have confirmed a meeting with the Head of the Office of the Comptroller of Currency.
That is the regulator for the small community banks such as the one that is now looking after credit card settlements for Belize Bank and Heritage and Choice Bank.

So, again, Member for Caribbean Shores, when you say that there is a problem with credit cards, there is no problem with credit cards.

There may be in the future, if that small bank in New York that’s doing the settlements currently decides to pull out.

And there are fears that that might happen.

But that is why I’m going to Washington.


So, Mr. Speaker, while it true that ultimately we can’t guarantee the successful outcome of my visit to the United States, we can at least make plain that we are doing everything that we can possibly do and we can make plain that we will continue to do everything that we can possibly do until we find a solution to the problem.

What is not helpful is to overstate the crisis.

It is bad enough as it is.


But no bank in Belize right now is altogether without a correspondent bank.

No bank in Belize has any difficultly currently, with the settlement of credit cards.

Western Union is still operating.
Because Bank of America, the biggest bank with which we were dealing, has moved out, because there is a fear that replacement banks may not be altogether reassuring as to the longevity of their correspondent- banking relationships with our banks, while clearly this is a phenomenon that is happening and, as he said, it’s certainly affecting the entire region, and while all this means that we must move with urgency to deal with the situation in order to prevent a sort of cataclysmic scenario from overtaking us, don’t act as though it has already happened.
It hasn’t.

When you do that, when you say what you just said, you contribute to uncertainty, to instability, and to a lack of confidence.

No bank, I repeat, in Belize currently is absolutely without a correspondent-banking relationship.

(Applause) And, while as I said, Mr. Speaker, I cannot guarantee the outcome of the visit to Washington, I feel confident that we will be able to hold serve, to maintain serve.
If he was like his father and uncle, he is a tennis player, so he will understand if we will be able to hold and maintain serve.

And, in fact, I am optimistic that we will get the kind of responses and the kind of solutions that we are looking for as a consequence of this trip.

(Applause) MR. SPEAKER: Honourable Members, the question is that the House All those in favour, kindly say aye; those against, kindly say no.

I think do now adjourn.

the ayes have it.

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27 The House now stands adjourn.


The House adjourned at 12:06 P.M. to a date to be fixed by the Speaker.

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Speaker.

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