Certificate of cause of death to be obtained before burial

(1) It shall not be lawful to bury the body of any person who dies within Belize City or within any other place to which the Minister by Order has extended the provisions of this section, unless one of the following certificates has been previously Schedule VI. (a) if the deceased person was attended during his last illness by a medical practitioner, then a certificate of the cause of death signed by such medical practitioner, which certificate shall be in the form given in the Schedule VI; or (b) if the deceased person was not attended during his last illness by a medical practitioner, then the certificate of the Registrar of the district or superior officer of police or, if neither of such officers shall be accessible, a justice of the peace, or a sergeant, corporal or constable of the Belize Police Department that the person signing such certificate has inquired into the circumstances attendant upon such death and to the best of his belief the deceased person died from natural causes, which certificate shall be in the form given in the Schedule VIII. Schedule VIII. (2) In case of doubt in relation to a person dying in Belize City, who has not been attended during his last illness by a medical practitioner, it shall be obligatory upon any of the persons mentioned in paragraph (b) of sub-section (1) to report the case immediately to the Director of Health Services, who is hereby required to forward his opinion in writing to the coroner whenever he considers it expedient that an inquest or inquiry should be held. (3) In the case of any place other than Belize City to which this section has been extended, the report referred to in sub- section (2) shall be made to the coroner. Registration of Births and Deaths[CAP. 157 23 (4) Where the coroner orders or authorises a burial, no certificate shall be required. (5) The certificate of the cause of death given by a medical practitioner shall be lodged with the district Registrar by the person having the conduct of the funeral within four days after such death or as soon thereafter as can reasonably be done. (6) Every person who buries a body in contravention of this section is liable to a fine not exceeding two hundred and fifty dollars.