House of Representatives (Belize)

The **House of Representatives** of Belize is one of the two chambers of the National Assembly, the other being the Senate. It was created under the 1981 constitution by Prime minister, George Cadle Price. Members are commonly called “Area Representatives” rather than Member of Parliaments (MPs).

Area Representatives are Elected by winning a majority of votes in their respective Constituencies under the First-past-the-post voting system. In addition, they must also win above 50% of the vote to be elected. The body is directly descended from the British Honduras Legislative Assembly created in 1954 with nine elected members. It had been expended several times since: to 18 in 1961, 28 in 1984, 29 in 1994 and finally 31 in 2008. The Leader of the majority Party in the Belize House typically becomes Prime Minister of Belize. However, if that Leader rejects to be Prime minister he/she can appoint a new Leader of the party or appoint any senior member of the Party, who served as a Cabinet minister in the past.

**Current members of the House of Representatives by district**

The elected representatives and their constituencies according to the Elections and Boundaries Department are:

- **Belize District**

- Caribbean Shores: Kareem Musa (PUP) Shadow Minister of Communication
- Freetown: Francis Fonseca (PUP)
- Pickstock: Wilfred Elrington (UDP) Minister of Foreign Affairs
- Fort George: Said Musa (PUP) Shadow Minister of Education (Science and Technology)
- Lake Independence: Cordel Hyde (PUP) Shadow Deputy Prime Minister
- Albert: Tracy Panton (UDP) Minister of State for Economic Development, Petroleum, Investment, Trade and Commerce
- Collet: Patrick Faber (UDP) Deputy Prime Minister
- Mesopotamia: Michael Finnegan (UDP) Minister of Housing and Urban Development
- Queen’s Square: Dean Barrow (UDP) Prime Minister
- Port Loyola: Anthony Martinez (UDP) Minister of Human Development
- Belize Rural North: Edmond Castro (UDP) Minister of Transport
- Belize Rural South: Manuel Heredia (politician) (UDP) Minister of Tourism
- Belize Rural Central: Beverly Williams (UDP) Minister of State for Agricultural

- **Orange Walk District**

- <big>Orange Walk North: Gaspar Vega (UDP) Minister of Natural Resources</big>
- Orange Walk Central: Johnny Briceño (PUP) Leader of the Opposition
- <big>Orange Walk East: Elodio Aragon (UDP) Minister of State for National Security and Defence</big>
- <big>Orange Walk South: Jose Mai (PUP) Shadow Minister of Agriculture</big>
- <big>**Cayo District**</big>
- <big>Cayo North: Omar Figueroa (UDP) Second Minister of State for Agriculture</big>
- <big>Cayo South: Julius Espat (PUP) Shadow Minister of Rural Development</big>
- <big>Cayo West: Erwin Contreras (UDP) Minister of Economic Development</big>
- <big>Cayo Central: Rene Montero (UDP) Minister of Works</big>
- <big>Cayo North East: Orlando Habet (PUP) Shadow Minister of Health</big>
- <big>Belmopan: John Saldivar (UDP) Minister of National Security and Defence</big>
- **Corozal District**
- Corozal North: Hugo Patt (UDP) Second Minister of Natural Resources
- Corozal South West: Angel Campos (UDP) Minister of State for Health
- Corozal Bay: Pablo Marin (UDP) Minister of Health
- Corozal South East: Florencio Marin Jr. (PUP) Shadow Minister of National Security and Defence
- **Stann Creek District**
- Dangriga: Frank Mena Minister of State for Finance
- Stann Creek West: Rodwell Ferguson Shadow Minister of Works
- **Toledo District**
- Toledo West: Oscar Requena (PUP) Shadow Minister of Tourism
- Toledo East: Mike Espat (PUP) Shadow Minister of Public Service and Energy

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