BELMOPAN, Wed. Feb. 10, 2021– The second reading of three bills that were passed during the last sitting of the House of Representatives on February 5, 2021, was deferred in the upper house of Parliament during a special sitting on Wednesday, February 10. The Lead Government Senator, Hon. Eamon Courtenay, explained that the second reading of the three bills — the Central Bank Amendment Bill 2021, the Finance and Audit Reform Bill 2021 and the Public Contract Commission Bill 2021 — would be put off until the bills are examined and considered by the Committee of The Whole Senate.

“Madam President, in accordance with Standing Order no. 83, I move a motion for the suspension of Standing Order no. 49(1) not to proceed forthwith the next stage of the Bills, which is the second reading of the Bills at this sitting until the Bills are examined and considered by the Committee of the Whole Senate,” he said.

Senator Courtenay noted that all senators agreed to the deferral.

In an interview held after the short Senate meeting, Lead Opposition Senator, Michael Peyrefitte, said that they were ready to engage in a debate, but were not given the opportunity.

“I got hype up for nothing. It is like you get ready for a game and then the man said, ‘we will postpone the game’. We always ready, you know.” Senator Peyrefitte said.

He added, “I think even the government knows that there would be some issues with those bills being passed in the Senate. So I think that is maybe why they decided to hold off on them so we can talk about them some more.”