Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1694572839252.pdf (Belize)
Public Sector Emoluments and Allowances Reduction BELIZE: PUBLIC SECTOR EMOLUMENTS AND ALLOWANCES REDUCTION BILL, 2021 ARRANGEMENT OF CLAUSES 1.

2.

Short title.

Interpretation.

3.

Application.

4.

Reduction of emoluments and allowances.

5.

Ministers of government.

6.

Pension benefits not to be affected.

7.

Annual review.

8.

Commencement.


Public Sector Emoluments and Allowances Reduction BELIZE: BILL for AN ACT to provide, in the public interest, for the reduction in salaries and allowances of certain persons appointed to hold a public office having regard to the deteriorated state of public finances; and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

(Gazetted ………………2021).


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: Short title.

1.

This Act may be cited as the PUBLIC SECTOR EMOLUMENTS AND ALLOWANCES REDUCTION ACT, 2021.

Interpretation.

2.
In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires– “acting allowance” means an allowance paid out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund to supplement the salary or wage of an officer who temporarily performs the duties and functions in a post higher than one he holds during a time that the higher post is vacant or the holder is on leave; “allowances” means entertainment allowances and telephone allowances paid out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund; “basis year” means the fiscal year which commenced on April 1, 2020 and ended on March 31, 2021; “emoluments” means salaries and wages, including acting allowances; Public Sector Emoluments and Allowances Reduction “entertainment allowance” or “housing/entertainment allowance” means the allowance for entertainment paid out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund; “judicial and legal officer” means the Registrar General, Deputy Registrar General, Registrar of the Supreme Court, Deputy Registrar of the Supreme Court, Assistant Registrar of the Supreme Court, Deputy Registrar of the Court of Appeal, Deputy Solicitor General, Assistant Solicitor General, Senior Crown Counsel, Crown Counsel, Legal Counsel, Legal Officer, but does not include magistrates, senior magistrates, nor the Chief Magistrate; “Minister of Government” includes the Prime Minister; “relevant period” means the period from June 1, 2021 to March 31, 2024, inclusive.
3.

Notwithstanding any other law, order, award or agreement, this Act applies to the persons prescribed in the First Schedule.

Application.

First Schedule.

4.-(1) Notwithstanding anything in sections 110D and 110F of the Belize Constitution or in any other law, order, award or agreement, but subject to sections 7, the emoluments to be paid to a person to whom this Act applies, except Ministers of Government, shall, during the relevant period, be and remain reduced as prescribed in the Second Schedule.
Reduction of emoluments and allowances.

CAP.

4.

Second Schedule.

CAP.

4.

(2) For the purposes of sub-section (1), emoluments paid in the basis year shall be used to calculate emoluments to be paid in the relevant period.
(3) Notwithstanding anything in sections 110D and 110F of the Belize Constitution or any other law, order, award or agreement, but subject to regulation 7, during the relevant period, entertainment allowance paid in the basis year to Heads of Department and persons holding senior positions shall remain fixed as reduced by twenty-five percent (25%) in the basis year.
(4) Notwithstanding anything in sections 110D and 110F of the Constitution or in any written law, order, award or agreement, but subject to regulation 7, during the relevant period, no increments shall accrue, become payable or otherwise be paid to a person to whom this Act applies.

5.

Notwithstanding anything in any other law, order, award or agreement, but subject to section 7, during the relevant period- Ministers of government.
Public Sector Emoluments and Allowances Reduction (a) the emoluments payable in the basis year to a Minister of Government shall be and remain reduced by 15% as paid in the basis year; and (b) the allowances payable to Ministers of Government shall be reduced by 50%.

Pension benefits not to be affected.

6.

Pensions benefits of a person to whom this Act applies that are based on emoluments shall be computed on the basis of emoluments that would have been applicable if this Act had not been enacted.
Annual review.

7.

During the relevant period, the Minister responsible for finance shall annually review the public finances and may reduce the percentage of reduction in section 4.

Commencement.

8.

This Act shall come into force on June 1, 2021.

FIRST SCHEDULE (section 3) 1.

Commandant, Belize Coast Guard 2.

Commander, Belize Defence Force 3.

Commissioner of Police 4.

Comptroller of Customs 5.

Judicial and Legal Officers 6.

Ministers of Government 7.

Officers in the Security Services 8.


Solicitor General Public Sector Emoluments and Allowances Reduction 9.

Principal representatives of Belize in a foreign country or accredited international organisation, Ambassadors and High to any Commissioners, except those who are hired on contract 10.
Members of the National Assembly, including the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President and Vice-President of the Senate and the staff of the National Assembly, but not including the Clerk of the National Assembly SECOND SCHEDULE (section 4) Emoluments equal to or greater than twelve thousand dollars per annum paid in the basis year shall, during the relevant period, be and remain reduced by ten percent (10%).