House of Representatives (Belize) Facts for Kids

The House of Representatives of Belize is one of the two chambers of the National Assembly, the other being the Senate. It was created under the 1981 constitution by Prime minister, George Cadle Price. Members are commonly called “Area Representatives” rather than Member of Parliaments (MPs).

Area Representatives are Elected by winning a majority of votes in their respective Constituencies under the First-past-the-post voting system. In addition, they must also win above 50% of the vote to be elected. The body is directly descended from the British Honduras Legislative Assembly created in 1954 with nine elected members. It had been expended several times since: to 18 in 1961, 28 in 1984, 29 in 1994 and finally 31 in 2008. The Leader of the majority Party in the Belize House typically becomes Prime Minister of Belize. However, if that Leader rejects to be Prime minister he/she can appoint a new Leader of the party or appoint any senior member of the Party, who served as a Cabinet minister in the past.

Current members of the House of Representatives by district

The elected representatives and their constituencies according to the Elections and Boundaries Department are:

Belize District

Caribbean Shores: Kareem Musa (PUP) Shadow Minister of Communication
Freetown: Francis Fonseca (PUP)
Pickstock: Wilfred Elrington (UDP) Minister of Foreign Affairs
Fort George: Said Musa (PUP) Shadow Minister of Education (Science and Technology)
Lake Independence: Cordel Hyde (PUP) Shadow Deputy Prime Minister
Albert: Tracy Panton (UDP) Minister of State for Economic Development, Petroleum, Investment, Trade and Commerce
Collet: Patrick Faber (UDP) Deputy Prime Minister
Mesopotamia: Michael Finnegan (UDP) Minister of Housing and Urban Development
Queen’s Square: Dean Barrow (UDP) Prime Minister
Port Loyola: Anthony Martinez (UDP) Minister of Human Development
Belize Rural North: Edmond Castro (UDP) Minister of Transport
Belize Rural South: Manuel Heredia (politician) (UDP) Minister of Tourism
Belize Rural Central: Beverly Williams (UDP) Minister of State for Agricultural
Orange Walk District

Orange Walk North: Gaspar Vega (UDP) Minister of Natural Resources
Orange Walk Central: Johnny Briceño (PUP) Leader of the Opposition
Orange Walk East: Elodio Aragon (UDP) Minister of State for National Security and Defence
Orange Walk South: Jose Mai (PUP) Shadow Minister of Agriculture
Cayo District
Cayo North: Omar Figueroa (UDP) Second Minister of State for Agriculture
Cayo South: Julius Espat (PUP) Shadow Minister of Rural Development
Cayo West: Erwin Contreras (UDP) Minister of Economic Development
Cayo Central: Rene Montero (UDP) Minister of Works
Cayo North East: Orlando Habet (PUP) Shadow Minister of Health
Belmopan: John Saldivar (UDP) Minister of National Security and Defence
Corozal District
Corozal North: Hugo Patt (UDP) Second Minister of Natural Resources
Corozal South West: Angel Campos (UDP) Minister of State for Health
Corozal Bay: Pablo Marin (UDP) Minister of Health
Corozal South East: Florencio Marin Jr. (PUP) Shadow Minister of National Security and Defence
Stann Creek District
Dangriga: Frank Mena Minister of State for Finance
Stann Creek West: Rodwell Ferguson Shadow Minister of Works
Toledo District
Toledo West: Oscar Requena (PUP) Shadow Minister of Tourism
Toledo East: Mike Espat (PUP) Shadow Minister of Public Service and Energy

House of Representatives (Belize) facts for kids

See also