Belize ends child marriage

Photo: Hon. Dolores Balderamos Garcia

Marriage Act amended – legal age raised from 16 to 18 years – at special sitting of House of Representatives

by William Ysaguirre

BELMOPAN, Tues. Nov. 12, 2024

Belize has raised the legal age for marriage from 16 years to 18 years, by an amendment to the Marriage Act which the House of Representatives passed with bipartisan support at a special sitting at the George Price Center in Belmopan on Tuesday morning, November 12.

The Youth Parliament had voted unanimously to raise the legal age for marriage to 18 in November 2023, and the National Committee for Families and Children, the National Women’s Commission and the churches continued to advocate for the law to be changed at a public forum at the Princess Hotel in August of this year. They argued that raising the legal age would help to break the cycle of poverty, of babies having babies, prevent children from becoming parents before they had the knowledge, abilities and resources to properly raise a family.

As Minister of Human Development, Families and Indigenous Peoples Affairs, Hon. Dolores Balderamos Garcia put it, early marriage for teenagers “prematurely exposes them to health risks of early childbirth or unwanted pregnancies and related complications, and it increases their risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections including human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV). It also increases a child’s vulnerability to domestic violence, … perpetuating the cycle of poverty.

“Moving to the adulthood age for marriage is a good thing to do, because marriage is a contract … No disrespect to any church leader whatsoever, but I have said that you’re married, not because you went to church, but because you signed a binding contract which I believe only adults should be able to do. So, I put it to this House this afternoon, that ending child marriages and early unions will have a positive multiplier effect on promoting all our strategies for gender equity and equality in Belize. I believe that the strong consensus in favour of raising the legal marriage age to 18 years is a good thing, … and I urge others to do the same.”

Photo: Hon. John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize

Prime Minister Hon. John Briceño, in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Economic Development, Investment, Civil Aviation, and Immigration, presented nine other Bills for their second readings on Tuesday. These included:

The Government of Belize and Social Security Board (SSB) Settlement Deed Bill 2024, for an Act to facilitate the implementation of the terms of deed of settlement between the government and SSB to settle and to set-off certain debt obligations between them, which remain outstanding after the government’s 2009 and 2011 compulsory acquisition and reacquisition of Sunshine Holdings Ltd., as well as the shares owned by Sunshine Holdings Ltd. in Belize Telecommunications Ltd. for the BTL Employees Trust; and other matters related to these issues.

A Bill to amend the Financial Services Commission Act, Act No. 8 of 2023, was also read, to provide for the Chairperson of the Appeal Panel to be the Chief Justice, a Judge of the High Court or an Attorney-at-Law with the qualifications of a judge of the High Court; and to provide for related issues.

A Bill to amend the Securities Industry Act, Act No. 46 of 2021 was presented a second time; to provide for appeals of decisions of the Commission to be made to the Appeal Panel under the Financial Services Commission Act, and to consider all other related issues.

The Bill to amend the Income and Business Tax Act, Chapter 55 of the Laws of Belize 2020 was also read, to exempt certain employed individuals from being taxed on their income. This change also removes income tax deduction anomalies, as it removes the tax on interest income on time deposits. It also applies double tax treaty relief provisions to all treaty nations, not just for Commonwealth nations, to encourage pensioners from the United Kingdom to come live in Belize. It also regularizes the withholding of tax on gross contract payments, and offers incentives for the private sector to support sports and educational development in Belize by changing the wording of the law to make it easier to understand.

A Bill was also presented to amend the Tax Administration and Procedure Act, Chapter 51 of the Laws of Belize 2020, to improve tax administration and enhance tax compliance; to enable electronic tax invoicing; to make clarifying amendments, and to take into account any related issues.

A Bill to amend the General Sales Tax Act, Chapter 63 of the Laws of Belize, to enable electronic tax invoicing and to change the wording of the law to make it more understandable.

A Bill to amend the Business Names Act, Chapter 247 of the Laws of Belize 2020 was introduced to make a Certificate of Registration valid for one year, and other issues related to this change.

The Designated Processing Areas Act was amended to accommodate the continued development of the Global Digital Services Sector, so as to offer incentives and additional support to the Aquaculture industry, to establish a Special Border Entertainment Zone, and to consider other related issues.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade, Education, Culture, Science, and Technology, Hon. Francis Fonseca introduced a Bill to amend the National Institute of Culture and History (NICH) Act to strengthen NICH’s power to protect and preserve resources in nature and cultural reserves. It also standardizes the definition of “Minister” throughout the Act; penalizes offences more strictly, and considers other related issues.

Photo: Valerie Woods, Speaker of the House

Speaker of the House, Hon. Valerie Woods had some sobering personal news, that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. She informed the House that as time goes on her illness might impact the performance of her duties as she seeks treatment.

Prime Minister Briceño introduced the first reading of the Social Security (Amendment) Bill 2024 to amend the Act to allow for the retroactive appointment of a General Manager of the Authority and a Chair of the National Health Insurance Committee, and other related matters.

He also proposed the National Health Insurance (Validation) Bill for an Act to validate the acts, decisions or omissions related to how the National Health Insurance scheme is implemented and associated issues.

Minister Fonseca introduced a Bill to amend the Senior Courts Act, to provide for notices and documents required to be served in relation to appeals from inferior courts to be served by public advertisement, and other related issues,

Photo: Hon. Henry Usher

Minister of Public Service, Constitutional and Political Reform, and Religious Affairs, Hon. Henry Charles Usher introduced a Bill to amend the People’s Constitution Commission Act, to retroactively extend the Commissioners’ terms of appointment and that of the Commission, and other related issues.

Minister of Blue Economy and Disaster Risk Management, Hon. Andre Perez proposed an amendment to the Disaster Preparedness and Response Act, to expand the definition of disaster emergency to include Orders made under the Belize Agricultural Health Authority Act in relation to quarantine pests and notifiable pests of potential or substantial national economic and other related matters. A Bill to amend the Stamp Duties Act, was also introduced to exempt certain instruments from stamp duty; to make clarifying amendments; and to provide for related issues.