Licences

(1) Subject to the provisions of these Regulations, any person intending to operate as a tour guide shall apply to the Committee on an application form prescribed by the Committee and such person shall submit his application along with the following to the Committee– (a) medical certificate issued by a registered medical practitioner; (b) recent police record; (c) two recommendations from persons in good standing who are well acquainted with the applicant; (d) a formal recommendation from a recognized local tour guide association; (e) two passport size photographs, one of which shall be certified as being that of the applicant; (f) proof of Belizean citizenship or of permanent residency with tour guiding as the defined occupation; and (g) proof of accreditation in the courses listed in regulation 8. (2) Tour guides who have been in the tour guide industry for a period of at least ten years and who do not possess the necessary requirements for a licence under these Regulations may obtain a licence provided that such tour guides8 (a) submit a letter of recommendation from a local tour guide association which is acquainted with the tour guide; (b) reliably and effectively satisfy the Committee of their competency in the areas of requirement for a licence under these Regulations; and (c) satisfy any other necessary requirements as stipulated by the Committee. (3) A licence granted under subregulation (2) above may be subject to such terms and conditions as the Committee deems fit. (4) Subject to subregulation (8) of this regulation, all licences shall be issued by the Committee upon payment to the board of a fee of seventy-five dollars by the applicant and such licences shall be in the form prescribed in the Schedule heretoprovided that if the Chairman of the Committee is unable or unwilling to sign a licence the Chairman of the Board shall sign the licence in the place of the Chairman of the Committee. (5) All licences issued under these Regulations shall expire within one year from the date of issue but may be renewed for like period upon payment of the prescribed fee and upon production of the documents specified in paragraphs (a), (b), (d) and (e) of subregulation (1) of this regulation. (5A) Notwithstanding subregulation (5) a tour guide applying for the renewal of a tour guide licence during the period from 1st June, 2020 to 31st August, 2020 shall not be required to– (a) pay the prescribed fee; 9 (b) produce the documents specified in subregulation (1)(a), (b), (d) and (e); (c) produce the satisfactory proof that the applicant is certified in safety, first aid and cardio-pulmonary resuscitation; and (d) produce proof of accreditation or recertification in such courses and training as determined by the Board. (6) All tour guides shall, while conducting tours, prominently display upon their persons a laminated copy of their (7) Any person aggrieved by a refusal of the Committee to grant a licence may appeal to the Board. (8) Where a licence has been lost, the holder of such licence may apply for a replacement licence upon payment of a fee of ten dollars, and the replacement licence shall expire at the expiration period of the original lost licence. (9) All licence fees payable under this regulation shall be credited to the account of the Board. (10) The Board shall provide guidelines to the Committee for the licensing of site specific tour guides.