Interpretation

(1) In this Constitution, unless the context otherwise requires, “Agreement” means the agreement establishing the Caribbean Court of Justice, signed at Bridgetown, Barbados, on the 14th day of February, 2001; “Belize” means the land and sea areas defined in Schedule 1 to this Constitution; “Caribbean Court of Justice” means the Court established by the Agreement; “Commonwealth citizen” has such meaning as the National Assembly may prescribe; “Court of Appeal” means the Court of Appeal established by this Constitution; “Crown” means the Crown in right of Belize; “financial year” means the twelve months ending on 31st March in any year or on such other date as may from time to time be prescribed by any law enacted by the National “the Gazette” means the Belize Government Gazette and includes any supplement thereto; “the Government” means the Government of Belize; 154 “the House” means the House of Representatives or the Senate as the context may require; “the House of Representatives” means the House of Representatives established by this Constitution; “Independence Day” means 21st September, 1981; “law” means any law in force in Belize or any part thereof, including any instrument having the force of law and any unwritten rule of law, and “lawful” and “lawfully” shall be construed accordingly; “Minister” means a Minister of Government; “the National Assembly” means the National Assembly established by this Constitution; “oath” includes affirmation; “oath of allegiance and office” means the oath prescribed in Schedule 3 to this Constitution “Police Department” means the Belize Police Department; “President” and “Vice-President” mean the respective persons holding office as President and Vice-President of the Senate; “public office” means any office of emolument in the public “public officer” means a person holding or acting in any public “the public service” means, subject to the provisions of this section, the service of the Crown in a civil capacity in respect of the Government; 155 “Senate” means the Senate established by this Constitution; “session” means, in relation to a House of the National Assembly, the sittings of that House commencing when it first meets after the prorogation or dissolution of the National Assembly at any time and terminating when the National Assembly is prorogued or is dissolved without having been prorogued; “sitting” means, in relation to a House of the National Assembly, a period during which that House is sitting continuously without adjournment and includes any period during which the House is in committee; “Speaker” and “Deputy Speaker” mean the respective persons holding office as Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of “Supreme Court” means the Supreme Court of Judicature established by this Constitution; “Treaty” means the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas establishing the Caribbean Community including the Caricom Single Market and Economy that was signed in The Bahamas on the 5th day of July, 2001. (2) Except in sections 63 (1) and 71 of this Constitution, references in this Constitution to a member or members of the House of Representatives or to a Senator or Senators do not include references to a person who, under section 56(2) of this Constitution, is a member of the House by virtue of holding the office of Speaker, or who, under section 61 (2) of this Constitution, is a Senator by virtue of holding the office of (3) In this Constitution, unless the context otherwise requires, references to an office in the public service shall be construed as including references to the offices of Justice of the Supreme Court and Justice of Appeal, offices of members 156 of the Police Department, and offices on the Governor- General’s personal staff. (4) In this Constitution, unless the context otherwise requires, references to an office in the public service shall not be construed as including references to the office of Prime Minister or other Minister of State, Speaker or Deputy Speaker or member of the House of Representatives, President or Vice- President or Senator, member of the Belize Advisory Council, or member of any Commission established by this Constitution or the Clerk, Deputy Clerk or staff of the National Assembly. (4A) In this Constitution or in any other Act, Ordinance, rule, regulation, order or other instrument having effect as part of the laws of Belize, a reference, (a) to “the Police Force” or to “the Force” shall be substituted by the words “the Police Department” or “the Department”, as the case may be; (b) to “the Permanent Secretary” shall be substituted by the words “the Chief Executive (c) to the “Judicial and Legal Services Section of the Public Services Commission” shall be substituted by the words “the Judicial and (5) For the purposes of this Constitution, a person shall not be regarded as holding a public office by reason only of the fact that he is in receipt of a pension or other like allowance in respect of service under the Crown. CAP. 1. (6) Save as otherwise provided in this Constitution, the Act, as in immediately before Independence Day shall apply, with the necessary adaptations, for the purpose of interpreting this Constitution. 157