Fotografia

The Senate is one of the chambers of the National Assembly. It has 12 members appointed for a five year term by the Governor General.

Contents

[hide]

1 Establishment and appointment

2 Requirements for appointment

3 Meetings and duties

4 Officers

5 Current Senators

6 Recent history

7 See also

8 References

[edit] Establishment and appointment

Senators are appointed by the Governor General in the following manner:

6 with the advice of the Prime Minister

3 with the advice of Leader of the Opposition

1 each with the advice of the following organizations jointly:

Belize Council of Churches/Evangelical Association of Churches

Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry/Belize Business Bureau

National Trade Union Congress of Belize and Civil Society Steering Committee.

In practice, the party that wins the general election (by capturing the most seats in the lower house of representatives) also controls the Senate. In previous incarnations, eight senators were appointed, five by the Prime Minister, two by the Leader of the Opposition and one by the Governor General and the Belize Advisory Council. One more senator was given to the opposition beginning in the 1990s.

[edit] Requirements for appointment

Minimum age: 21 years

Citizenship: Belizean (no allegiances to foreign states)

Residence: in Belize for at least a year prior to nomination

Who cannot be Senators: members of the House, members of the armed and police forces, persons contracted to work for the Government.

Occasionally, a Prime Minister may find it necessary to appoint a Senator to a post in the Cabinet. Former Senator Richard "Dickie" Bradley twice lost elections to the House and was appointed a Senator and given a Cabinet post each time. Former Minister Ralph Fonseca, though unelected in 1989, was named a Senator and Minister of State under George Price's government in 1989-1993 term. In 1997, the UDP appointed Belize Ambassador to Mexico, Mr. Alfredo "Fred" Martinez a Senator to also serve in Cabinet as Minister of Trade & Industry, thereby relinquishing his Ambassadorial appointment.

[edit] Meetings and duties

The Senate traditionally meets in session in the week immediately following a House meeting. Senators will discuss the measures sent by the House for review and approval, then vote on whether they should be sent back or approved.

Beginning in late 2005, the Senate convened an investigation into allegations of mismanagement of public funds at the Social Security Board. This committee was headed by Senator Godwin Hulse and featured senators Dickie Bradley, Moises Chan, and Rene Gomez. Arthur Roches was also supposed to appear as the UDP representative but declined under pressure from the Opposition. These Senators

...