After 1 year and four months, House and Senate Meetings are back at the National Assembly. The building was closed for repairs and while the Taiwanese had originally given a grant for 1.5 million dollars, the renovations ended up costing over 5 million dollars. The difference was funded by GOB, and today they were able to see the upgraded chambers in its full glory in a joint sitting. And of course, they were joined by the visiting Guyanese president. Courtney Menzies was there today and has this story.
Members of the upper and lower houses of parliament gathered today at the newly renovated National Assembly for a special joint sitting. While this was the first sitting since the building was closed for repairs in September 2024, the chambers were also graced by the President of Guyana, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali.
At this special sitting, the leaders of both countries signed MOU's that would see collaborations in various sectors. In his speech, the prime minister spoke about them:
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"The several memorandums of understanding we will sign today covers diverse areas: education, tourism, digitization and agriculture. They cover socioeconomic sectors of our countries. They provide solid basis for deeper collaboration in areas of mutual benefit. We offer our experience in tourism as you build your tourism product in the land of many waters. Our geographic similarities provide scope for knowledge sharing. Our expertise in agriculture will be made available and educational opportunities explored. Your experience in digitization will help us in our own efforts in this regard. Belize and Guyana must more deliberately to achieve our mutual ambition to feed CARICOM."
And President Ali addressed the similarities between the two countries, and the challenges faced by both as smaller Caribbean nations.
Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, President of Guyana
"Both of our countries have faced challenges to territorial integrity and sovereignty. these challenges have demanded sustained attention, absorb resources, and created uncertainty with consequences for economic and social progress. we also confront common threats that transcend borders. Climate change poses profound risks to our societies and economies. Energy and food insecurity place additional strain on development. Transnational crime including the illicit trafficking of drugs, weapons and people undermines stability."
And corrodes institutions. These challenges facing small states in our hemisphere are becoming more acute and more complex. [00:00:10.35]
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"My dear friend, I agree with you that Belize and Guyana must lead in the food security of this nation. And when we make this investment, human, financial and technological investment, the region must in turn have a fair trade system in which our produce and production is not subjected to the bureaucracy of the system or is not subjected to artificial barriers of trade that affect this region. We must together champion the cause of removing the barriers to trade especially in food in this region."
President Ali concluded his speech by stating that despite the challenges of climate change and maintaining territorial integrity, both countries must continue to preserve and adapt.
Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, President of Guyana
"Time and again Belizeans and Guyanese have demonstrated a steadfast belief in our right to determine our own future. Our history is not one of pacificity, it is a history of persistence, that legacy now calls out to us to act with renewed purpose, it calls up on small states to exercise confidence and to play their full and rightful role in shaping the future we seek and the world seeks for our peoples."
And PM Briceno also used the opportunity of the joint sitting to show solidarity for another Caribbean nation.
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"We say unequivocal that the Caribbean should be a zone of peace. Belize believes in the non-interference in the affairs of states. We view with serious concern recent events in our region which clearly undermine this principle. More concerning for us is the recently proclaimed executive order which is likely to have grave consequences for the people of Cuba. The government of Belize stands in full solidarity with the Cuban people."
"We call for urgent good faith talks to avert a humanitarian crisis which is likely to emerge in the republic of Cuba if there are ever decreasing deliveries of petroleum products. A manufactured humanitarian disaster is neither moral nor is it illegal."
After the session, the Prime Minister escorted President Ali to Spanish Lookout and Santander to tour agricultural facilities.
And after the sitting, the media asked the Leader of the Opposition her thoughts on President Ali's visit. She said that it was timely and that Belize can gain a lot from its friendship with Guyana.
Tracy Panton, Leader of the Opposition
"I think it's timely. We are opening our newly refurbished, renovated National Assembly and we share common history, we share a common culture, we share hopefully common values. I know that the president is very big on democracy and preserving the rights and privileges and freedoms of citizens, the economic prosperity of his country."
"And I think that there is a lot that we can glean from his presentation today. I thought it was very inspiring and hopefully our government took note."
