Belize Senate

The House of Representatives is equivalent to the British House of Commons. The Senate is the counterpart of the House of Lords. It was one of the new features of the 1963 Constitution which was retained in the 1981 Constitution.

The Senate comprises twelve members and one President. The President presides over the meetings of the Senate and is elected from among the membership or nominated from outside the Senate. Each member is appointed by the governor General with the advice of different persons and/or organization as follows:

  • Six members with the advice of the Prime Minister.
  • Three members with the advice of the Leader of the Opposition.
  • One member with the advice of the Belize Council of Churches and Evangelical Association of Churches.
  • One member with the advice of the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Belize Business Bureau.
  • One member with the adcice of the National Trade Union Congress and the Civil Society Steering Comittee.

Besides debating and confirming Bills passed by the House of Representatives, the Senate has other functions including:

  • Authorising the ratification of any treaty by the Government of Belize, including any treaty for the final settlement of the territorial dispute between Belize and the Republic of Guatemala.
  • Approving the establishement in Belize of any new military base of operations for any foreign military forces after the 15th day of January, 2002.
  • Approving the appointment of an Ambassador, a High Commissioner, the Chief Justice, a Justice of the Supreme Court, a Justice of the Court of Appeal, the Contractor General and the Ombudsman.

Members of the Senate

  • Lee Mark Chang, President
  • Carla Barnett, UDP; Vice President of the Senate
  • Godwin Hulse, UDP; Leader of Government Business
  • Stephen Duncan, UDP
  • Michael Peyrefitte, UDP
  • Macario Coy, UDP
  • Aldo Salazar, UDP
  • Paul Thompson, PUP
  • Eamon Courtenay, PUP
  • Valerie Woods, PUP
  • Mark Lizarraga, Business Community
  • Elena Smith, Trade Unions
  • Ashley Rocke, Churches
  • Osmany Salas, NGOs