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É Belize This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Belize Belizean coat of arms This image depicts a seal, an emblem, a coat of arms or a crest. ... Queen Elizabeth II Governor-General Colville Young Prime Minister Said Musa Leader of the Opposition Dean Barrow National Assembly Senate House of Representatives Political parties PUP - UDP Elections: 2008 Districts Foreign relations Other countries · Politics Portal view • talk • edit Politics of Belize takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic monarchy, whereby the Prime Minister is the head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the Parliament of Belize. The party system is dominated by the People's United Party and the United Democratic Party. Constitutional safeguards include freedom of speech, press, worship, movement, and association. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. Jurisprudence is based on English common law. The countries of the Commonwealth Realm share the same monarch. ... Elizabeth II in an official portrait as Queen of Canada (on the occasion of her Golden Jubilee in 2002, wearing the Sovereigns badges of the Order of Canada and the Order of Military Merit) Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary) (born 21 April 1926), styled HM The... This page contains a list of Governors-General of Belize. ... Sir Colville Norbert Young (born 1932) is the Governor-General of Belize, and also patron of the Scout Association of Belize. ... The government of Belize is directed by the Prime Minister. ... Said Musa speaking at the United Nations The Right Honourable Said Wilbert Musa (born March 19, 1944) has been Prime Minister of Belize since 1998. ... É The Leader of the Opposition of Belize is an elected official who, according to the Constitution, commands the support of those elected officials that do not support the Government. ... Dean Barrow is a Belizean politician and a member of the United Democratic Party. ... The National Assembly of is the bicameral legislature of Belize. ... The Senate is one of the chambers of the National Assembly. ... The House of Representatives of Belize is one of two chambers of the National Assembly, the other being the Senate. ... A political party is a political organization subscribing to a certain ideology or formed around very special issues with the aim to participate in power, usually by participating in elections. ... The Peoples United Party is the ruling Christian Democratic political party of Belize. ... The United Democratic Party is the main opposition political party in Belize. ... Politics of Belize Categories: Election related stubs | Elections in Belize ... É A legislative election will be held in the nation of Belize in 2008. ... Belize is divided into 6 districts. ... Belizes principal external concern has been the dispute involving the Guatemalan claim to Belizean territory. ... Information on politics by country is available for every country, including both de jure and de facto independent states, inhabited dependent territories, as well as areas of special sovereignty. ... A parliamentary system, also known as parliamentarianism (and parliamentarism in U.S. English), is distinguished by the executive branch of government being dependent on the direct or indirect support of the parliament, often expressed through a vote of confidence. ... Representative democracy is a form of democracy founded on the exercise of popular sovereignty by the peoples representatives. ... Places where monarchies maintain rule appear in blue. ... The government of Belize is directed by the Prime Minister. ... The Head of Government is the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet. ... Under the doctrine of the separation of powers, the executive is the branch of a government charged with implementing, or executing, the law. ... A legislature is a governmental deliberative body with the power to adopt laws. ... The National Assembly of is the bicameral legislature of Belize. ... The Peoples United Party is the ruling Christian Democratic political party of Belize. ... The United Democratic Party is the main opposition political party in Belize. ... The Politics series Politics Portal This box:      In law, the judiciary or judicial is the system of courts which administer justice in the name of the sovereign or state, a mechanism for the resolution of disputes. ... Contents 1 Executive branch 1.1 Current Members of the Executive 1.1.1 Ministers of State 2 Legislative branch 3 Political parties and elections 4 Judicial branch 5 Defence 6 International organization participation [edit] Executive branch Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Belize (Photo: Richard Gifford) As head of state, Queen Elizabeth II is represented in Belize by a governor general who acts on the advice of the prime minister and the cabinet. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1879x2304, 819 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): The Bahamas Politics of Grenada Head of State Politics of Jamaica Politics of Papua New Guinea Politics of... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1879x2304, 819 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): The Bahamas Politics of Grenada Head of State Politics of Jamaica Politics of Papua New Guinea Politics of... Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor; born 21 April 1926) is Queen of sixteen sovereign states, holding each crown and title equally. ... Main office holders Office Name Party Since Queen Elizabeth II 6 February 1952 Governor-General Sir Colville Norbert Young, Sr 17 November 1993 Prime Minister Tom Herschel PUP 27 August 1998 Belize is a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy on the Westminster model and is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. Queen Elizabeth II is head of state and is represented in the country by Governor General Dr. Colville N. Young, Sr., a Belizean and Belize's second governor general. The primary executive organ of government is the Cabinet led by a Prime Minister (head of government). Cabinet Ministers are members of the majority political party in Parliament and usually hold elected seats in the National Assembly concurrently with their Cabinet positions. The countries of the Commonwealth Realm share the same monarch. ... Elizabeth II in an official portrait as Queen of Canada (on the occasion of her Golden Jubilee in 2002, wearing the Sovereigns badges of the Order of Canada and the Order of Military Merit) Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary) (born 21 April 1926), styled HM The... February 6 is the 37th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1952 (MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... This page contains a list of Governors-General of Belize. ... Sir Colville Norbert Young (born 1932) is the Governor-General of Belize, and also patron of the Scout Association of Belize. ... 17 November is also the name of a Marxist group in Greece, coinciding with the anniversary of the Athens Polytechnic uprising. ... 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ... The government of Belize is directed by the Prime Minister. ... The Peoples United Party is the ruling Christian Democratic political party of Belize. ... August 27 is the 239th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (240th in leap years), with 126 days remaining. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ... This does not cite its references or sources. ... The Commonwealth of Nations (CN), usually known as the Commonwealth, is a voluntary association of 53 independent sovereign states, the majority of which are former colonies of the United Kingdom. ... Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor; born 21 April 1926) is Queen of sixteen sovereign states, holding each crown and title equally. ... Prime Minister Tom Herschel has an ambitious plan to encourage economic growth while furthering social-sector development. Belize traditionally maintains a deep interest in the environment and sustainable development. A lack of government resources seriously hampers these goals. On other fronts the Government is working to improve its law enforcement capabilities. A long-running territorial dispute with Guatemala continues although cooperation between the two countries has increased in recent years across a wide spectrum of common interests, including trade and environment. Seeing itself as a bridge, Belize is actively involved with the Caribbean nations of CARICOM, and also has taken steps to work more closely with its Central American neighbours as a new member of SICA. The government of Belize is directed by the Prime Minister. ... The Caribbean Community and Common Market or CARICOM was established by the Treaty of Chaguaramas which came into effect on August 1, 1973. ... [edit] Current Members of the Executive (Cabinet of Belize as of August 2006:) Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and the Public Service, General Micro-Manager -Tom Herschel Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment-John Briceño Minister of Education and Labour; Attorney General-Francis Fonseca Minister of National Development, Investment and Culture-Mark Espat Minister of Tourism, Information and National Emergency Management Organization-Godfrey Smith Minister of Home Affairs and Public Utilities-Ralph Fonseca Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries-Vildo Marin Minister of Health, Local Government, Transport and Communications- Jose Coye Minister of Defence, Housing, Sports and Youth-Cordel Hyde Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade-Eamon Courtenay Minister of Human Development-Sylvia Flores Minister of Works-Michael Espat The government of Belize is directed by the Prime Minister. ... John Briceño (b. ... Godfrey Smith is a Belizean politician and a member of the Peoples United Party. ... Ralph Henry Fonseca (b. ... Jose Coye (b. ... [edit] Ministers of State Note: These are not necessarily members of Cabinet but may attend meetings at the request of the Prime Minister. Minister of State, National Development: Marcial Mes Minister of State, National Resources: Servulo Baeza Minister of State, Education: Rodwell Ferguson Minister of State, Agriculture and Fisheries: Mario Castellaños Minister of State, Home Affairs and Public Utilities: Ismael Cal Minister of State, Works: Ainslie Leslie Marcial Mes (b. ... [edit] Legislative branch Main article: Senate of Belize Main article: House of Representatives of Belize The National Assembly consists of a House of Representatives and a Senate. The 29 members of the House of Representatives are popularly elected to a maximum 5-year term of office. It is expected that the number of seats in the House will increase to 31 for the next general election, tentatively scheduled for 2008. The Senate is one of the chambers of the National Assembly. ... The House of Representatives of Belize is one of two chambers of the National Assembly, the other being the Senate. ... The National Assembly is the name of either a legislature, or the lower house of a bicameral legislature in some countries. ... The Politics series Politics Portal This box:      House of Representatives is a name used for legislative bodies in many countries. ... A senate is a deliberative body, often the upper house or chamber of a legislature. ... 2008 (MMVIII) will be a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Senate consists of 12 Senators plus the President of the Senate. The Senators are appointed by the Governor General as follows: six (6) on the advice of the Prime Minister, three (3) on the advice of the Leader of the Opposition, one (1) member on the advice of the Belize Council of Churches and the Evangelical Association of Churches, one (1) on the advice of the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Belize Business Bureau and one (1) on the advice of the National Trade Union Congress of Belize and the Civil Society Steering Committee. The President of the Senate is then selected by the 12 Senators, either from amongst themselves or from the general populace. The President presides over the sessions of the Senate but ordinarily has no voice nor vote in the proceedings (as would an appointed Senator), except in the cases of the passing of bills (legislation) where he/she has a casting vote. Where the President is selected from amongst the twelve, the powers of Senator and President of the Senate are vested in this one person. Otherwise, the President has no powers as would ordinarily be vested in a Senator. Over the past few years, there has been much debate over whether the members of the Senate should be appointed or elected. Currently, the Government of Belize is controlled by the People's United Party (PUP) which won 22 of the 29 seats in the House of Representatives on 5 March 2003 but later lost a seat in a by-election in October of that year. The Opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) won the other 7 seats. Dean Barrow is the Leader of the Opposition. The UDP previously governed Belize from June 30, 1993 to August 27, 1998; the PUP had governed from September 4, 1989- June 30, 1993; and the UDP from December 14, 1984-September 4, 1989. Before 1984, the PUP had dominated the electoral scene for more than 30 years and was the party in power when Belize became independent in 1981. The Peoples United Party is the ruling Christian Democratic political party of Belize. ... March 5 is the 64th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (65th in leap years). ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The United Democratic Party is the main opposition political party in Belize. ... Dean Barrow is a Belizean politician and a member of the United Democratic Party. ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... [edit] Political parties and elections Main article: Elections in Belize The following election results include names of political parties. See for additional information about parties the List of political parties in Belize. An overview on elections and election results is included in Elections in Belize. [discuss] – [edit] Summary of the 5 March 2003 Belize House of Representatives election results Parties Votes % Seats People's United Party 52,934 53.16 22 United Democratic Party 45,376 45.57 7 Independents 1,260 1.27 - Total valid votes 99,570 100.00 29 Invalid votes 770 Total votes cast (turnout: 79.5%) 100,340 Registered voters 126,202 Politics of Belize Categories: Election related stubs | Elections in Belize ... An election is a decision making process where people choose people to hold official offices. ... A political party is a political organization subscribing to a certain ideology or formed around very special issues. ... A political party is a political organization subscribing to a certain ideology or formed around very special issues with the aim to participate in power, usually by participating in elections. ... An election is a decision making process whereby people vote for preferred political candidates or parties to act as representatives in government. ... Politics of Belize Categories: Election related stubs | Elections in Belize ... The House of Representatives of Belize is one of two chambers of the National Assembly, the other being the Senate. ... The Peoples United Party is the ruling Christian Democratic political party of Belize. ... The United Democratic Party is the main opposition political party in Belize. ... [edit] Judicial branch Members of the independent judiciary are appointed. The judicial system includes local magistrates grouped under the Magistrates' Court which hears less serious cases, the Supreme Court (Chief Justice Abdulai Conteh) which hears murder and similarly serious cases, and the Court of Appeal, which hears appeals from convicted individuals seeking to have their sentences overturned. Cases may under certain circumstances be appealed to the Privy Council in London. However, in 2001, Belize joined with most members of CARICOM to campaign for the establishment of a "Caribbean Court of Justice". The country is divided into six districts: Corozal District, Orange Walk District, Belize District, Cayo District, Stann Creek District, and Toledo District. The Supreme Court holds hearings from January to December of each year, starting in Belize City and then going to the districts; Magistrates' Court hears cases on most weekdays. Dr Abdulai Osman Conteh is a lawyer and politician from Sierra Leone. ... A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, especially in a monarchy. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... The Corozal District is the northernmost district of the nation of Belize. ... Orange Walk District is a district in the northwest of the nation of Belize, with its district capital in Orange Walk Town. ... Belize District is a district of the nation of Belize, with its district capital in the nations largest city, Belize City. ... The Cayo District is a district in the west of the nation of Belize. ... The Stann Creek District is a district in the south east of the nation of Belize. ... The Toledo District is the southernmost district in the nation of Belize, with the district capital in the town of Punta Gorda, Belize. ... A special Family Court has been set up to hear cases regarding child maintenance, domestic violence and spousal abuse, and other similar cases. This court is located in downtown Belize City. A Quick Trial Court processes selected cases especially speedily. [edit] Defence The Belize Defence Force (BDF), established in January 1973, consists of a light infantry force of regulars and reservists along with small air and maritime wings. The BDF, currently under the command of Brig. Gen. Lloyd Gillett, assumed total defence responsibility from British Forces Belize (BFB) on January 1, 1994. The United Kingdom continues to maintain the British Army Training Support Unit Belize (BATSUB) to assist in the administration of the Belize Jungle School. The BDF receives military assistance from the United States and the United Kingdom. 1973 (MCMLXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday. ... January 1 is the first day of the calendar year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. ... 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by United Nations. ... Internal security is the domain of the Belize Police Department, currently staffed by about 1,200 police officers established in all six districts. The commissioner of police is Gerald Westby. Drugs in Belize are controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act. However, other types of crime are becoming more commonplace, and the murder rate has increased, due to unsolved gang-related issues and the presence of drugs on the streets. Belizes Misuse of Drugs Act is a national drug control law that divides drugs into three Classes. ... [edit] International organization participation Association of Asian, Caribbean and Pacific Countries (ACP) Caribbean Community (Caricom) Caribbean Development Bank(CDB) Economic Community of Latin American Countries (ECLAC) Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) The G-77 Group of Nations Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (ICRM) International Development Association (IDA) International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) International Finance Corporation (IFC) International Labour Organization (ILO) International Monetary Fund (IMF) International Maritime Organization (IMO) Intelsat (nonsignatory user) Interpol International Olympic Committee (IOC) International Organization for Migration (IOM) (observer) International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Organization of American States (OAS) The Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean OPANAL Latin American Economic System (LAES) The United Nations (UN) United Nations Committee on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) United Nations Economic, Social and Cultural Organization UNESCO United Nations International Development Organization (UNIDO) Universal Postal Union (UPU) World Confederation of Labour (WCL) World Health Organization (WHO) World Trade Organization (WTO) Category: Politics of Belize The Caribbean Community and Common Market or CARICOM was established by the Treaty of Chaguaramas which came into effect on August 1, 1973. ... The Caribbean Development Bank is a financial institution which assists Caribbean nations in financing social and economic programs in its member countries. ... FAO emblem With its headquarters in Rome, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations programs seek to raise levels of nutrition and standard of living; to improve the production, processing, marketing, and distribution of food and agricultural products; to promote rural development; and, by these means, to... The Inter-American Development Bank (preferred abbreviation: IDB; but frequently given as IADB), was established in 1959 to support Latin American and Caribbean economic/social development and regional integration by lending mainly to public institutions. ... Logo of the World Bank The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development is one of the five institutions consisting the World Bank Group. ... The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), an agency of the United Nations, codifies the principles and techniques of international air navigation and fosters the planning and development of international air transport to ensure safe and orderly growth. ... Claiming 157 million members in 225 affiliated organisations in 148 countries and territories, the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) came into being on December 7, 1949 following a split within the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU). ... The Red Cross and the Red Crescent emblems, the symbols from which the Movement derives its name The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is an international humanitarian movement whose stated mission is to protect human life and health, to ensure respect for the human being and all other... The International Development Association (IDA) was created on September 24, 1960, is a UN specialized agency. ... The International Fund for Agricultural Development is an agency of the United Nations. ... The International Finance Corporation (IFC) promotes sustainable private sector investment in developing countries as a way to reduce poverty and improve peoples lives. ... The International Labour Organization (ILO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations to deal with labour issues. ... The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is an international organization that oversees the global financial system by observing exchange rates and balance of payments, as well as offering financial and technical assistance when requested. ... Headquarters of the International Maritime Organisation in Lambeth, adjacent to the east end of Lambeth Bridge Headquarters building taken from the west side of the Thames Headquartered in London, U.K., the International Maritime Organization (IMO) promotes cooperation among governments and the shipping industry to improve maritime safety and to... Interpol (or International Criminal Police Organization) was created in 1923 to assist international criminal police co-operation. ... Bold textralf is gay IOC redirects here. ... The International Organization for Migration is an intergovernmental organization. ... The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is an international organization established to standardize and regulate international radio and telecommunications. ... Member states of the Non-Aligned Movement (2005). ... The Organization of American States (OAS; OEA in the other three official languages) is an international organization, headquartered in Washington, D.C., USA. Its members are the 35 independent nations of the Americas. ... OPANAL (which stands for Organismo para la Proscripción de las Armas Nucleares en la América Latina y el Caribe) is an international organization which promotes nuclear disarmament. ... The Latin American Economic System, officially known as Sistema Económico Latinoamericano (SELA), is an organization founded in 1975 to promote economic cooperation and social development between Latin American countries. ... The United Nations (UN) is an international organization that describes itself as a global association of governments facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, and social equity. ... UNESCO logo UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established in 1945. ... The Universal Postal Union (UPU, French: Union postale universelle) is an international organization that coordinates postal policies between member nations, and hence the world-wide postal system. ... The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations, acting as a coordinating authority on international public health, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. ... The World Trade Organization (WTO, French: , German: , Spanish: ) is an international organization that establishes rules for international trade through consensus among its member states. ...

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	Belize encyclopedia : Cultural Information , Maps, Belize politics and officials, Belizen History. Travel to Belize (261 words) Belize is a small nation on the eastern coast of Central America, on the Caribbean Sea bordered by Mexico to the northwest and Guatemala to the west and south. The name is derived from the Belize River, after which Belize City, the former capital and largest city, is also named. Belize is a member of Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Sistema de Integracion Centro Americana (SICA) and considers itself to be both Caribbean, and Central American.
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