Bill Seeks Public Access to Belize’s Sex Offenders Registry

At Thursday’s House Meeting, the Criminal Code (Amendment) Bill, 2026, was introduced for its first by Minister Kareem Musa. The proposed legislation seeks to amend the Criminal Code to provide public access to the National Sex Offenders Database, establish in-camera proceedings for certain offences, and address related matters.  Currently, the sex offenders registry exists in Belize, but access to the information is restricted and can only be obtained with written authorization from the Ministry of Home Affairs. Last month, several government ministers, along with Special Envoy for the Development of Families and Children Rossana Briceño, publicly expressed support for making the registry available to the public as an additional safeguard for communities and families.  In presenting the bill, Minister Musa outlined the purpose behind the proposed amendment and the government’s commitment to enhancing public safety and protecting children from sexual predators.

Thursday’s introduction marked the bill’s first reading in the House of Representatives. It will now proceed to committee stage for further examination and consultation before returning to the National Assembly for debate and approval.