Circumstances in which a referendum shall be held

(1) Subject to the provisions of this Act, a referendum shall be held in any of the following circumstances– (a) where the National Assembly passes a resolution declaring that a certain issue or matter is of sufficient national importance that it should be submitted to the electors for their view through a referendum; (b) where a petition is presented to the Governor- General signed by at least ten percent of the registered electors in Belize whose names appear in the approved voters’ list existing at the time of presentation of the petition, or, if the referendum is to be held in any specific district or area of Belize, twenty-five percent of the registered electors in that district or area, praying that in their opinion a certain issue or matter is of sufficient public importance that it should be submitted to the electors for their views through a referendum; (c) where any law provides for the holding of a referendum on any specific issue or matter; or 5 (d) on any proposed settlement with the Republic of Guatemala for resolving the Belize/Guatemala border dispute. (2) Every petition presented to the Governor-General pursuant to sub-section (1)(b), shall contain the full name of the elector, in block letters, his date of birth, the place of his residence, the electoral division in which he is registered, and any other information as the Governor-General may, by regulations made under this Act, prescribe. (3) Where a petition is presented to the Governor-General under this section, the Governor-General shall forthwith refer the petition to the Chief Elections Officer for verification of the signatures of the petitioners, and for certification that at least ten percent of the registered electors in the entire country, or if the referendum is to be held in any specified district or area of Belize, twenty-five percent of the registered electors in that district or area, have in fact appended their signatures to the petition. (4) On receipt of the petition from the Governor-General, the Chief Elections Officer shall proceed with due expedition to verify the signatures on the petition and return the petition to the Governor-General as soon as practicable but not later than two months from the date of receipt of the petition, with certificate as to whether or not the petition had been duly signed by the requisite number of electors as specified in sub-section (3). (5) Any person who forges a signature on the petition, or who signs the petition more than once, commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars, or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year, or to both fine and imprisonment.