Interpretation

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, “act” includes omission or failure to act and a reference to the doing or commission of an act includes a reference to the making of an omission, and any cognate words shall be construed accordingly; “advantage’’ include, (a) money or any donation, gift, loan, fee, reward, valuable security, property or interest in property of any description, whether movable or immovable, over a value of $2,500.00; (b) the avoidance of a loss, liability, penalty, forfeiture, punishment or other disadvantage; (c) any office, dignity, employment, contract of employment or services and any agreement to give employment or render services in any capacity; Prevention of Corruption 7 (d) any payment, release, discharge or liquidation of any loan, obligation or other liability, whether in whole or in part; (e) any valuable consideration or benefit of any kind or any discount, commission, rebate, bonus, deduction or percentage over a value of $2,500.00; (f) any forbearance to demand any money or money’s worth or valuable thing; (g) any other service or favour or advantage of any description, including protection from any or disability incurred or apprehended or from any action or proceedings of a disciplinary, civil or criminal nature, whether or not already instituted, and includes the exercise or the forbearance from the exercise of any right or any official power or duty; (h) any right or privilege; (i) any aid, vote, consent or influence or pretended aid, vote, consent or influence; (j) any offer, undertaking or promise, whether conditional or unconditional, of any advantage within the meaning of paragraphs (a) to (i); “agent” includes any person employed by or acting for another, any trustee of an insolvent estate, the assignee of an estate assigned for the benefit or with the consent of creditors, the liquidator of a company which is being wound up, the executor of the estate of a deceased person, the legal representative of any person who is of unsound mind or is a minor or is otherwise under disability, any public servant or an officer 8 Prevention of Corruption serving in or under or acting for any public body, a trustee, an administrator or a subcontractor and any person appointed as an agent in terms of any law; “authorised officer” means a person duly authorized in writing by the Commission; “Chairperson” means the Chairperson of the Commission; “child” means a person under the age of eighteen years who is the child, step-child or lawfully adopted child of any person; “corruptly’’ means in contravention of any law; “declaration” means a declaration of assets, income and liabilities; “income” includes all receipts by way of salary, fees, wages, perquisites, profits, gain, emoluments, rents and interest whether they are received as money or as money’s worth, commission, bonus, pension, annuity or benefit and whether received in Belize or elsewhere, and shall include, (a) details of awarded by the Government or other public body; (b) leases or grants of land awarded by Government or any other body at the direction or nomination of Government; (c) private sector contracts of the amount of twenty-five thousand dollars or above; (d) details of any business interests; and (e) other benefits valued at more than five thousand dollars received from any source; “person in public life” means, Prevention of Corruption 9 (a) Members of the House of Representatives including the Speaker; (b) Members of the Senate including the President of the Senate; and (c) Members of local authorities (City Councils and Town Councils); “principal” includes, (a) any employer; (b) any beneficiary under a trust and any trust estate; (c) the estate of a deceased person and any person with a beneficial interest in the estate of a deceased person; (d) in the case of any person serving in or under a public body, the public body; (e) in the case of a legal representative referred to in the definition of “agent”, the person represented by such legal representative; “public body” includes local and public authorities of all descriptions; “public officer” has the meaning ascribed to it in section 131 of the Constitution; “public servant” includes the Governor General, members of the National Assembly, members of the Belize Advisory Council, members of the Public Services Commission, members of the Elections and Boundaries Commission, public officers, members and officers of statutory corporations and 10 Prevention of Corruption government agencies, and members and employees of all public bodies, including local authorities; “Secretariat” means the Secretariat to the Commission established under section 10; “spouse” includes a common law husband or common law wife.