Promotion of officers of the regular force

(1) An officer of the regular force shall not, unless exempted by the Governor-General after consultation with the Defence Commission, be promoted to the substantive rank of Captain or Major unless he has previously qualified for such promotion at such professional examinations or tests for that rank as may be prescribed by the Governor-General from time to time after consultation with the Defence Commission. (2) An officer of the regular force shall, subject to subregulation (1), be eligible for promotion to higher substantive rank on completion of the following periods of commissioned servicethat is to say, to lieutenant, after 2 years as a second lieutenant; to captain, after 4 years as a substantive lieutenant; to major, after 7 years as a substantive captain, Defence 9 provided that the Governor-General may, acting in accordance with the recommendation of the Public Services Commission, allow an officer who transferred from the Belize Volunteer Guard or the Police Special Force on or before the 31st December 1978 to serve a lesser period than the number of years mentioned in this regulation before his promotion to a substantive rank. (3) Anti-date of seniority for those officers commissioned with professional qualifications shall be as laid down by the Governor General after consultation with the Defence Commission, taking into account age on commissioning and the normal period of time for obtaining such professional qualifications and years of experience. (4) In the case of an officer who immediately before the grant of his commission in the regular force was in full-time service in the regular force as a warrant officer, non-commissioned officer or soldier, account shall be taken, in such manner as the Defence Commission shall recommend, of one-half of any such service as a warrant officer and of one-third of any such service as a non-commissioned officer or soldier, so, however that the first ten years of service shall not be counted. (5) Promotion to the substantive rank of lieutenant and lieutenant colonel shall be by selection by the Governor- General after consultation with the Defence Commission.