Interpretation

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, “Board” means a District Road Board appointed by the Minister under section 4 of this Act; “cattle” means any bull, ox, cow, steer, heifer, mule and the male, female, and young of the horse, ass, sheep, goat, swine, and of any animal, other than a dog, ordinarily kept or used as a beast of burden, or for draught, riding or the production of wool, hair, meat, milk or hides; “Chief Engineer” means the Chief Engineer, and includes any person or persons to whom the Chief Engineer may delegate his powers under this Act; 7 “highway” means any public road or thoroughfare which is or may from time to time be specified in the Schedule to this Act; “improved public road” means any public road that has been graded, gravelled, surfaced, dressed or paved; “officer” means an officer of the Public Works Department or of the Survey Department; “owner” means the owner or reputed owner or lessee and, in the case of joint owners or lessees or tenants in common of any land, any one of such joint owners or lessees or tenants in common of any land, or the attorney or agent of any such owner or lessee in charge of such land, and, if no such owner or lessee or agent is known or is resident in Belize, the person in possession or in occupation of such land; “public road’ means any road, street or thoroughfare which may hereafter be declared by Order of the Minister under this Act, and includes all carriageways, cartways, bridle-tracks and pathways as well as bridges, ferries, drains, dams, shoulders, embankments, causeways, fences and ditches belonging or appertaining to a public road, and such land adjoining any public road as may be reserved for its protection or benefit by Order of the Minister, Provided that where any road, street or thoroughfare other than a highway as defined in this Act falls within the limits of Belize City, the City of Belmopan or any other town mentioned and referred to in the Schedule to the Town Councils Act, Cap. 87, the powers conferred on the Minister and the Chief Engineer under this Act shall, in respect of each town established under the Town Councils Act, be vested in the respective Town Council, and in the case of Belize City or the City of Belmopan, be vested in the Belize City Council or the Belmopan City Council, Provided further that the powers conferred upon the Minister by sections 6 and 7 of this Act shall, in respect of Belize City 8 or the City of Belmopan and district towns, be exercised by the Belize City Council, the Belmopan City Council or the Town Council, as the case may be, with the consent of the Minister of Local Government; “river” includes all public navigable streams, lakes, estuaries, creeks and embankments belonging thereto. Boards and Declaration of Roads