Belize's Government: A Look At The Inner Workings

Belize is a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy based on the Westminster model. It gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1981 and has a multi-party system. The King of Belize, currently Charles III, is the head of state and is represented by a governor-general who acts on the advice of the prime minister and the cabinet. The prime minister, currently Johnny Briceño, is the head of the government and the leader of the majority party in the House of Representatives. The House of Representatives and the Senate form a bicameral legislature, with members of the House of Representatives directly elected to serve a maximum term of five years. The Senate, on the other hand, consists of appointed senators, with 12 members plus the president.

Belize's constitution and government structure

Belize's constitution was adopted in 1981, the same year the country gained independence from the United Kingdom. The constitution is the supreme law of Belize and it provides for a parliamentary democracy and a multi-party system. The country is a constitutional monarchy with a democratic administrative authority. The head of state is King Charles III, who is represented in Belize by a governor-general, currently Froyla Tzalam. The governor-general is a Belizean national who represents the British crown and appoints the prime minister and the opposition leader. The prime minister, currently Johnny Briceño, advises the governor-general on the executive duties of the government and appoints the cabinet.

The National Assembly of Belize is a bicameral body, consisting of an elected House of Representatives and an appointed Senate. The House of Representatives has 31 members, directly elected for a maximum term of five years on the basis of universal adult suffrage. The Senate has 12 members (plus the president of the senate), who are appointed by the governor-general. Six senators are appointed on the advice of the prime minister, three on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and one each by the churches, business community, and trade unions.

The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature and is based on English common law. The Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal, and magistrates' courts make up the justice system. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court is appointed by the governor-general, in accordance with the advice of the prime minister. The other justices of the Supreme Court are also appointed by the governor-general, acting on the advice of the Judicial and Legal Services section of the Public Services Commission and with the concurrence of the prime minister. The Supreme Court hears serious criminal and civil cases before judges and juries, while the Court of Appeal hears appeals from convicted individuals seeking to have their sentences overturned.

Belize is divided into six districts: Corozal, Orange Walk, Belize, Cayo, Stann Creek, and Toledo. Each district has its own set of courts, including the Magistrates' Court for less serious cases and the Supreme Court for more severe cases.

The role of the king and governor-general

Belize is a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary democracy based on the Westminster model. It is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The current head of state is King Charles III, who has held this position since 8 September 2022. As King, he is represented in Belize by a governor-general who acts on the advice of the prime minister and the cabinet. The governor-general is responsible for interpreting and upholding the constitution when conflicts arise, and determining all cases as the most supreme court. They are also responsible for passing legislation for the peace, order, and good government of Belize.

The governor-general is appointed by the king and must be a Belizean national. The current governor-general of Belize is Froyla Tzalam, who has held the position since 27 May 2021. The governor-general appoints the prime minister (the leader of the majority party in the House) and the opposition leader (the leader of the principal minority party). The prime minister advises the governor-general on the executive duties of the government and appoints the cabinet. The governor-general also appoints the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, in accordance with the advice of the prime minister.

The governor-general appoints 12 members to the Senate, which forms a bicameral legislature alongside the House of Representatives. Six members are appointed on the advice of the prime minister, three on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and one each by the churches, business community, and trade unions. The House of Representatives comprises 31 members, directly elected at intervals of no longer than five years on the basis of universal adult suffrage.

The prime minister and cabinet

Belize is a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy based on the Westminster model. The primary executive organ of the Belizean government is the Cabinet, which is led by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister advises the Governor-General on the executive duties of the government. The Prime Minister also appoints the Cabinet, which is made up of members of the majority political party in Parliament. Cabinet ministers usually hold elected seats in the National Assembly concurrently with their Cabinet positions, but they can also be drawn from the Senate.

The current Prime Minister of Belize is Johnny Briceño, who assumed office on 12 November 2020. The Deputy Prime Minister is Cordel Hyde.

The Cabinet is responsible for passing legislation for the peace, order, and good government of Belize. The Cabinet is appointed by the Governor-General, who acts on the advice of the Prime Minister and Parliament. The Governor-General is a Belizean national who represents the British Crown and nominally appoints the Prime Minister (the leader of the majority party in the House of Representatives). The role of the King is hereditary, and he appoints the Governor-General, who in turn appoints the Prime Minister.

The current members of the Cabinet include Stuart Leslie (Cabinet Secretary), Jose Abelardo Mai (Agriculture, Food Security, & Enterprise), Rodwell Ferguson (Public Utilities & Logistics), Julius Espat (Infrastructure Development & Housing), and Francis Fonseca (Education, Culture, Science & Technology).

The National Assembly and its elections

Belize is a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary democracy based on the Westminster model. The country's democracy is based on the British parliamentary system. The National Assembly of Belize is a bicameral body, consisting of a House of Representatives and a Senate. The House of Representatives is made up of 31 members who are elected by the people to serve a maximum term of five years. The Senate, on the other hand, has 12 members (plus the President of the Senate), who are appointed by the Governor-General. The Senators are appointed as follows: six on the advice of the Prime Minister, three on the advice of the Leader of the Opposition, one member on the advice of the religious community, one on the advice of the business community, and one on the advice of trade unions. The President of the Senate is then selected by the Senators, either from among themselves or from the general populace.

The elections in Belize take place at least once every five years and are based on universal adult suffrage. The first general elections in Belize were held in 1954 and were won by the People's United Party (PUP). The PUP went on to dominate the electoral scene for over three decades, winning all subsequent elections until 1984 when they were defeated by the United Democratic Party (UDP). Since then, the two parties have alternated in governing the country, with the UDP holding power from 1984 to 1989, the PUP from 1989 to 1993, the UDP from 1993 to 1998, and the PUP from 1998 to 2008. In the 2008 elections, the UDP regained control of the government, and in 2020, the PUP won again.

The political landscape in Belize is dominated by these two major parties: the centre-left PUP and the centre-right UDP. However, there have been smaller parties that have participated in governmental elections, although they have not won a significant number of seats. The diversity of Belize's population is not reflected in its political parties, as they are not ethnically oriented. There are no restrictions on the formation of political parties, and the country's constitution guarantees freedoms of speech, press, worship, movement, and association.

Local government and authorities

Belize has a system of local government comprising four types of local authorities: city councils, town councils, village councils, and community councils. The two city councils (Belize City and Belmopan) and seven town councils cover the urban population of the country, while village and community councils cover the rural population.

City and town councils consist of a mayor and a number of councillors (ten in Belize City, six in Belmopan and the towns). Mayors and councillors are directly elected to three-year terms, using the first-past-the-post system. The most recent municipal elections were held in March 2006. The mayor (except in Belize City) acts as the chief executive of the city or town and allocates portfolios to the other councillors.

Village councils consist of a chairperson and six councillors, who are directly elected by registered villagers. Village councils in their current form were established by the Village Councils Act 1999, and the first elections for village councils were held in March and April 2003.

According to the Government of Belize website, "urban authorities are responsible for street maintenance and lighting, drains, refuse collection, and public cemeteries." They also have discretionary powers over other services, including infrastructure, parks and playgrounds, markets and slaughterhouses, public libraries, public buildings, and the amenities of the city or town centre. Village and community councils have a more limited range of functions: they "encourage and assist cooperation on economic and social development and general welfare" and can run community centres.

Some rural villages in Belize also have an alcalde: a local magistrate who has both an administrative and a judicial role. In addition to presiding over local courts, alcaldes are responsible for managing communal land and acting as school officers. This form of local governance is practised mainly in Mayan communities in Belize, but any rural community can choose to appoint an alcalde.

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