Interpretation

(1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires“agent”, when used in relation to the Crown, includes an independent contractor employed by the Crown; “civil proceedings” includes proceedings in the Supreme Court or a district court for the recovery of fines or penalties, but does not include proceedings such as are brought on the Crown’s side of the Queen’s Bench Division of the High Court of Justice in England; “foreign court” means a court of any country other than Belize; “foreign judgment” means a judgment of a foreign court; “Her Majesty’s aircraft” does not include aircraft belonging to Her Majesty otherwise than in right of Her Government in Belize; “Her Majesty’s ships” means ships of which the beneficial interest is vested in Her Majesty or which are registered as 6 Crown Proceedings Act government ships for the purposes of the Merchant Shipping Acts 1894 to 1940, or which are for the time being demised or sub-demised to or in the exclusive possession of the Crown, except that the said expression does not include any ship in which Her Majesty is interested otherwise than in right of Her Government in Belize, unless that ship is for the time being demised or sub-demised to Her Majesty in right of Her said Government or in the exclusive possession of Her Majesty in that right; “imperial forces” means the Army, Navy, Air Force or other armed forces of the Crown established and maintained by the United Kingdom Government; “judgment” means a judgment or order given or made before a court of competent jurisdiction in Belize or a foreign court, in any civil proceedings, whereby a sum of money is payable, and includes an award in proceedings on arbitration; CAP. 138. “local forces” means the Police Department established and maintained under the Police Act and any other armed force in the regular and whole-time service of the Crown, and includes members of the Belize Defence Force with respect to their employment in the performance of any of the functions described in section 5 (2) of the Defence Act; CAP. 135. “officer”, in relation to the Crown, includes the Governor- General and any servant of Her Majesty in right of Her Government in Belize; “order” includes a judgment, decree, rule, award or declaration; “proceedings against the Crown” includes a claim by way of set- off or counter-claim raised in proceedings by the Crown; “statutory duty” means any duty imposed by or under any Act, law or other statute. Crown Proceedings Act 7 (2) Any reference in Parts IV and V to civil proceedings by or against the Crown, or to civil proceedings to which the Crown is a party, shall be construed as including a reference to civil proceedings to which the Attorney General, or any Government department, or any officer of the Crown as such, is a party, provided that the Crown shall not for the purposes of Parts IV and V be deemed to be a party to any proceedings by reason only that they are brought by the Attorney General upon the relation of some other person. (3) References in this Act to any enactment shall be construed as references to that enactment as amended by or under any other enactment. (4) Any reference in this Act to the provisions of this Act shall, unless the context otherwise requires, include a reference to rules of court or district court rules made for the purposes of this Act.