President and Vice-President

(1) When the Senate first meets after any general election and before it proceeds to the dispatch of any other business, it shall elect a person from among persons who are not members of either House to be President of the Senate; and if the office of the President falls vacant at any time before the dissolution 88 of the National Assembly, the Senate shall as soon as practicable elect another person in like manner from among persons who are not members of either House to that office. (2) When the Senate first meets after any general election and before it proceeds to the dispatch of any other business except the election of the President, it shall elect a Senator, who is not a Minister, to be Vice-President of the Senate; and if the office of Vice-President falls vacant at any time before the next dissolution of the National Assembly, the Senate shall, as soon as practicable, elect another Senator to that office. (3) The President and the Vice-President shall be above the age of twenty four years and the President shall be elected from among persons who are not members of either House, Provided that a person shall not be elected as President if, (a) he is not a citizen of Belize; or (b) he is a person disqualified for election as a member of the House of Representatives by virtue of section 58(1) of the Constitution. (4) A person shall vacate the office of President or Vice President of the Senate, (a) in the case of a President, (i) upon any dissolution of the National (ii) if he ceases to be citizen of Belize; or (iii) if any circumstances arise which would cause him to be disqualified for election as a member of the House of Representatives by virtue of section 58(1) of the Constitution. 89 (b) in the case of the Vice-President, (i) if he ceases to be a Senator; or (ii) if he is appointed to be a Minister. (5)(a) If, by virtue of section 64 (3) of this Constitution, the President or the Vice-President is required to cease to perform his functions as a Senator he shall also cease to perform his functions as President or Vice-President, as the case may be, and those functions shall, until he vacates his seat in the Senate or resumes the performance of the functions of his office, be performed, (i) in the case of the President, by the Vice-President or, if the office of Vice- President is vacant, by such Senator (not being a Minister) as the Senate may elect for the purpose; (ii) in the case of the Vice-President, by such Senator (not being a Minister) as the Senate may elect for the purpose. (b) If the President or Vice-President resumes the performance of his functions as Senator, in accordance with the provisions of section 64 (3) of this Constitution, he shall also resume the performance of his functions as President or Vice-President, as the case may be.