New Member of Parliament Sworn In

For the first time since the construction of the National Assembly Building, the parliamentary proceedings are being held at another location so that the building can be renovated. The George Price Centre for Peace and Development will for the next twelve months, be the venue where all House Meetings will be held. The first order of business at the new location today was the swearing in of the House of Representative’s newest member, Doctor Osmond Martinez, who replaces the late Mike Espat in Toledo East. Martinez took the Oath of Office, after which Prime Minister John Briceño welcomed him officially as an elected representative to the House.

 

Osmond Martinez, Area Representative, Toledo East

“I, Osmond Martinez, do swear that I will bear true faith and allegiance to Belize, and will uphold the Constitution and the law, and that I will conscientiously, impartially, and to the best of my ability, discharge my duties as a member of the House of Representatives, and do right  to all manner of people, without fear or favor, affection or ill will, so help me God.”

 

Prime Minister John Briceño

“Dr. Martinez, or the honorable Member from Toledo East, comes from very, very humble beginnings, living in a banana farm, and his parents were, um, originally from another country.  And here we have this  gentleman who, as a child, did not have electricity, and he lived in a very, very humble family, at a very humble beginnings, but because of his determination and working in school and because there were so good teachers that mentored him, he managed to get to the point where he earned a doctorate, and that today the people of Toledo East decided to elect him to represent him, so I want to congratulate, Oswald, my brother. Congratulations to you, your mom must be very proud. So is your dad, who’s not here, but your entire family and friends. So on behalf of all of us here on this side, and I’m sure on the other side, congratulations and welcome.”