Interpretation

(1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires“chemical weapon” means the following, together or separately– (a) toxic chemicals and their precursors, except where intended for purposes not prohibited under the Convention, as long as the types and quantities are consistent with such purposes; (b) munitions and devices, specifically designed to cause death or other harm through the toxic properties of those toxic chemicals specified in paragraph (a) of this definition, which would be released as a result of the employment of such munitions and devices; (c) any equipment specifically designed for use directly in connection with the employment of munitions and devices specified in paragraph (b) of this definition; 6 “Convention” means the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction, done at Paris on the 13th day of January 1993, a copy of the English text of which is set out in the Schedule to this Act, and includes the Annexes to the Convention and any amendments thereto, or substitutions of, that Convention or the Annexes that are, or will become, binding on the Government of Belize from time to time; “international inspector” means an individual designated by the Technical Secretariat according to the procedures as set forth in Part II, Section A, of the Verification Annex to carry out an inspection or visit in accordance with the Convention, and includes any inspection assistant as defined in the Convention; “Minister” means the Minister responsible for defence; “precursor” means– (a) any chemical reactant which takes part at any stage in the production by whatever method of a toxic chemical and includes any key component of a binary or multicomponent chemical system; (b) precursors which have been identified for the application of verification measures by the Organization as listed in the Schedules contained in the Annex on Chemicals to this Act; “purposes not prohibited under the Convention” means– (a) industrial, agricultural, research, medical, pharmaceutical, or other peaceful purposes; (b) protective purposes, namely those purposes directly related to protection against toxic 7 chemicals and to protection against chemical (c) military purposes not connected with the use of chemical weapons and not dependent on the use of the toxic properties of chemicals as a method of warfare; (d) law enforcement, including domestic riot control, purposes; “Toxic chemical” means– (a) any chemical which, through its chemical action on life processes can cause death, temporary incapacitation or permanent harm to humans or animals; (b) the definition in paragraph (a) including all such chemicals therein, regardless of their origin or of their method of production, and regardless of whether they are produced in facilities, in munitions or elsewhere; (c) toxic chemicals which have been identified for the application of verification measures by the Organization as listed in the Schedules contained in the Annex on Chemicals to this Act. (2) Terms and expressions used and not defined in this Act but defined in the Convention shall, unless the context otherwise requires, have the same meaning assigned to each of them in the 8