Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1694821158424.pdf (Belize)
1 BELIZE: Village Councils VILLAGE COUNCILS (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2022 ARRANGEMENT OF CLAUSES 1.

Short title.

2.

Amendment of section 2.

3.

Amendment of section 7.

4.

Amendment of section 9.

5.

Insertion of new section 13A.
2 BELIZE: Village Councils BILL for AN ACT to amend the Village Councils Act, Chapter 88 of the Substantive Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2020; to provide for eligibility requirements for election as Chairperson or member of a Village or Community Council; to provide for a procedure for the resignation of an elected member of a council; to allow for the Deputy Chairperson to assume the powers and duties of the Chairperson during his absence from office; and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
(Gazetted ………………2022).

BE IT ENACTED, by and with the advice and consent of the House of Representatives and Senate of Belize and by the authority of the same, as follows: 1.

This Act may be cited as the Short title.

CAP.

88.

VILLAGE COUNCILS (AMENDMENT) ACT, 2022, and shall be read and construed as one with the Village Councils Act, which is hereinafter referred to as the principal Act.

Amendment of section 2.


Section 2 of the principal section is amended by inserting the following 2. definitions in the appropriate alphabetical sequence– ““Chief Elections Officer” means the person appointed under section 10 of the Representation of the People Act; CAP.

9.
9.

“Chief Executive Officer” means the Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry responsible for village councils; and “Elections and Boundaries Commission” means the Elections and Boundaries Commission established in accordance with section 88 of the Belize Constitution;”.

CAP.

4.

Amendment of section 7.

The principal Act is amended by repealing section 7 and replacing it 3. with the following– 3 Village Councils “7.
A person shall be eligible to be elected as Chairperson or member of a Village or Community Council, if the name of that person appears on the official voters list.”.

4.

Section 9 of the principal Act is amended– Amendment of section 9.
(a) in sub-section (1)(b), by deleting the word “council” and substituting the words “Chief Executive Officer”; (b) by inserting the following sub-sections immediately after sub-section (1)– “(1A) A member who intends to resign shall give not less than seven days’ notice to the Chief Executive Officer.
(1B) On receipt of a letter of resignation, the Chief Executive Officer shall, within seven days, inform the Elections and Boundaries Commission of the resignation.”; and (c) in sub-section (2), by deleting the words “by the council” and substituting the words “by the Chief Elections Officer, the Elections and Boundaries with Commission,”.

the approval of The principal Act is amended by inserting immediately after section 5.

13, the following new section– Insertion of new section 13A.
“Powers and duties of Deputy Chairperson in absence of Chairperson.

13A.

The Deputy Chairperson shall exercise the powers and duties of the Chairperson if the Chairperson is unable to perform his powers and duties as a result of– (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) approved duty leave; approved vacation leave; approved sick leave; resignation; or any absences from village council meetings.”.