Powers of inspection

(1) An authorised person shall have power, on production (if required) of his credentials, to inspect any Belize ship. (2) An authorised person inspecting a ship under subregulation (1) above shall have power– (a) to subject any property found by him on the ship including cargo and stores, to such (b) to take such steps – (i) to ascertain what practices or procedures are being followed in relation to security; or (ii) to test the effectiveness of any practice or procedure relating to security; or (c) to require the owner, charterer, manager or master of a ship, to furnish to him such as the authorised person may consider necessary for the purposes for which the inspection is carried out. Merchant Ships (Registration) 259 (3) Subject to subregulation (4) below, an authorised person, for the purpose of exercising any power conferred on him under subregulation (1) or (2) of this regulation in relation to a ship, shall have power for the purpose of inspecting a ship, to go on board it and to take all such steps as are necessary to ensure that it is not moved. (4) The powers conferred under subregulation (3) above shall not include the power for an authorised person to use force for the purpose of going on board any ship. (5) Any person who – (a) without reasonable excuse, fails to comply with a requirement imposed on him under subregulation (2)(c) above; or (b) in furnishing any information so required, makes a statement which he knows to be false in a material particular, or recklessly makes a statement which is false in a material particular, shall be guilty of an offence.