Senate Debates Central Bank Amendment

This morning, the Senate had another short meeting in Belmopan, and the main parliamentary business of the session was the passage of the Central Bank of Belize Amendment Bill of 2021.

This amendment will empower the Central Bank to put together emergency programs and facilities for the business community, to assist during unusual and necessary economic circumstances. The ongoing pandemic and the economic crisis certainly fit those criteria, and so, the Briceno Administration is trying to get this bill into law. But, in the Senate today, the bill drew the same kind of heated debate that occurred when it was first tabled in the House. Here are a few excerpts: