Withdrawal of recognition of refugees

(1) If at any time the Director of Refugees considers that there are reasonable grounds for believing that a person who has been recognized as a refugee for the purposes of this Act– (a) should not have been so recognized; or (b) has ceased to be a refugee for the purposes of this Act, the Director shall refer the case to the (2) Where a case has been referred to it in terms of sub- section (1), the Committee shall cause a written notice to be 15 served upon the person whose status as a refugee is under reconsideration– (a) informing such person of the fact that his status as a refugee is to be reconsidered; and (b) inviting such person to make written representations to the Committee within a period of fourteen days from the date of service of the notice, regarding his status as a (3) The Committee shall consider every case referred to it in terms of sub-section (1) and may make any inquiry or investigation it thinks necessary into any such case. (4) After considering all the evidence, the Committee– (a) may withdraw the recognition of the person concerned as a refugee; and (b) shall cause the person concerned to be notified of its decision in the matter within seven days. (5) Any person who is aggrieved by a decision of the Committee to withdraw the recognition of such person as a refugee may, within fourteen days of being notified of such withdrawal, appeal in writing to the Minister. (6) In any appeal in terms of sub-section (5), the Minister may confirm or set aside the decision of the Committee and shall cause the Committee and the person concerned to be informed of his decision in the matter, Provided that, before reaching a decision in an appeal, the Minister may do all or any of the following– (a) invite the representative in Belize of the United Nations High Commissioner for 16 to make oral or written representations in the matter; (b) refer the matter back to the Committee for further inquiry and investigation to be made; or (c) himself, make such further inquiry and investigation into the matter as he thinks fit. (7) Where the Committee has in terms of this section withdrawn the recognition of any person as a refugee, that person shall cease to be a recognized refugee, and any persons who became protected persons as a result of being members of his family shall cease to be protected persons, with effect from– (a) fourteen days after the date on which the Committee notifies the person concerned that his recognition has been withdrawn; or (b) where the person concerned has appealed to the Minister in terms of sub-section (5), the date on which the Minister notifies him that he confirms the decision of the Committee, Provided that nothing in this sub-section shall prevent a protected person who became such as a result of being a member of the family of the person concerned from himself applying for recognition and being recognized as a refugee in terms of section 8. recognized CAP. 159. CAP. 136.