Licensing Board, constitution, functions

(1) Subject to sections 13, 14 and 15 of this Act, there shall be established in each judicial district in Belize a Licensing Board consisting of six members appointed annually by the Minister by Order published in the Gazette, Provided that of the six members, one shall be either the mayor or a member of the City Council or the Town Council, or the village Chairperson or member of the Village Council, as the case may be, of the respective judicial district, who shall be an ex officio member, Provided further that where in any judicial district there are two or more Town Councils, or a City Council and one or more Town Councils, the Minister shall, in his discretion, nominate the Mayor or member of any such City Council or Town Council to be an ex officio member of the Licensing Board for that judicial district, Provided further that of the six members, one shall be a member of the District Association of Village Councils referred to in section 55 of the Village Councils Act, Cap. 88. (2) The Minister shall also nominate a member to be the Chairperson, and may appoint any person to act in place of the Chairperson if absent, unable or prevented to act. (3) The Minister may fill a vacancy in the Board caused at any time by a member’s resignation or death or a member being unable or otherwise prevented to act. (4) The Board may act by any four of its members notwithstanding any vacancy and may regulate its own proceedings, Provided that in the event of an equality of votes, the Chairperson of the Licencing Board shall have a casting vote. (5) No member shall, directly or indirectly, take part in any proceedings of the Board if his interest, or that of his spouse or 18 of a business concern in which he or his spouse has any interest, is likely to be affected in any way by a decision of the Board to be taken in the proceedings; nor shall he seek in any manner to influence any decision that might be taken in the proceedings. Any member knowingly contravening this subsection commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars. (6) The Board shall hear and determine applications for certificates authorising the issue, the renewal or the transfer of licences, and all matters connected therewith or with forfeiture, cancellation or suspension of licences, in relation to premises situate in its own judicial district or area. (7) The Board may grant a certificate subject to conditions it may deem fit which it shall endorse on the certificate and which shall be endorsed on the licence by the authority issuing it. (8) The Board shall not issue a certificate authorising the issue of a licence, nor permit the transfer of a licence, in contravention of any Order made under section 10 of this Act. (9) The Board may at any time on good cause being shown, or, on an infringement of any provision of this Act or of rules made thereunder or of any condition imposed under subsection (7) of this section being shown, or on any of the grounds in section 20 of this Act being proved, cancel or suspend a licence, or impose conditions in respect thereof, after the licensee has had an opportunity to explain to the Board the matter raised against him.