House of Representatives to Debate Pension Reforms and Multimillion-Dollar Loans

The House of Representatives will convene tomorrow in Belmopan, where members will deliberate a full agenda including constitutional reform, public sector pension adjustments, and several multimillion-dollar international financing agreements.  The session will open with the swearing-in of a new member, followed by announcements and the tabling of key reports, including the Auditor General’s report for April 2015 to March 2016, the Ombudsman’s 2024 annual report, and the Central Bank of Belize’s 2024 annual report and revised revenue and expenditure estimates for 2025.  Among the legislative items, the People’s Constitution Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2025, will be brought forward, alongside the Trade Licensing (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which seeks to extend the implementation timeline of the 2024 Act to allow for greater public sensitization. The Education, Sports, and Housing Committee will also present its report on the School Teachers’ Pension (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which clarifies pension calculations for teachers in government-aided schools.  Government business will focus heavily on financing motions. The House will consider a series of international loan and subscription agreements, including: Belize’s US$40 million capital subscription to the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI); a US$7 million loan from Taiwan’s International Cooperation and Development Fund (ICDF) to boost labor force participation and employability; a parallel US$7 million loan and US$1 million grant from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) for the same workforce program; an amendment to a 2019 US$50 million loan agreement with Taiwan’s Export-Import Bank for the Corozal-Sarteneja Road project; a US$20 million contingent financing facility from the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA) to enhance Belize’s disaster and crisis response capacity.  The House will also debate the School Teachers’ Pensions (Amendment) Bill, 2025, at its second reading stage.