AG on Public Health and Safety Rights

Magali Marin Young

AG Young also discussed the legality of these new regulations. She affirmed that while the Constitution of Belize affords Belizeans certain fundamental rights, those rights are not absolute. Here is how she explained it.

Magali Marin Young, Attorney General of Belize

“We live in a society where we have to give and take to live peacefully and safely together as a community. So, the Constitution provides express limitations to those rights. One of those limitations is in fact public health, well, our public health and public safety. So, fundamental rights are not absolute rights. Let’s get that very clear. We as a community have to give and take so that we could live safely together, so that we could live peacefully together. And so, that is a misconception that I enjoy this absolute right. No, this right has limitation; the Constitution has stated that in every fundamental right that is recognized under the Constitution. The only one is, I think, there are some limitations in terms of inhumane treatment. I don’t think those limitations are provided for under the Constitution. But if you look at every fundamental right recognized, there are those limitations.”