Pensions to dependents when an officer is killed on duty

(1) Where a teacher dies while in the service of Belize as a result of injuries received, (a) in the actual discharge of his duty; (b) without his own default; and (c) on account of circumstances specifically attributable to the nature of his duty, the Governor-General may grant, in addition to the gratuity, if any, made to his legal personal representative under section 23 of this Act. (i) if the deceased teacher leaves a widow, a pension to her, while unmarried and of good character, at a 18 rate not exceeding ten-sixtieths of his salary at the date of the injury or seventy- five dollars a year whichever is the greater; (ii) if the deceased teacher leaves a widow to whom a pension is granted under subparagraph (i) and a child or children, a pension in respect of each child, until such child attains the age of eighteen years, of an amount not exceeding one-eighth of the pension prescribed under subparagraph (i); (iii) if the deceased teacher leaves a child or children, but does not leave a widow or no pension is granted to the widow, a pension in respect of each child, until such child attains the age of eighteen years, of double the amount prescribed in sub-paragraph (ii); (iv) if the deceased teacher leaves a child or children and a widow to whom a is granted under subparagraph (i), and the widow subsequently dies, a pension in respect of each child as from the date of the death of the widow until such child attains the age of eighteen years, of double the prescribed in subparagraph (ii); (v) if the deceased teacher does not leave a widow, or if no pension is granted to his widow, and if his mother was wholly or mainly dependent on him for her support a pension, to the mother, while of good character and without adequate means of support, of an amount not exceeding the pension which might have been granted to his widow. (2) A pension shall not be payable under this subsection at any time in respect of more than six children. (3) In the case of pension granted under subparagraph (v) of subsection (1) of this section, if the mother is a widow at the time of grant of the pension and subsequently remarries such pension shall cease as from the date of remarriage, and if it appears to the Governor-General at any time that the mother is adequately provided with other means of support, such pension shall cease as from such date as the Governor-General may determine. (4) A pension granted to a female child under this section shall cease upon the marriage of such child under the age of eighteen years. (5) For the purposes of this section the word “child” shall include, (a) a posthumous child; (b) a step child or illegitimate child born before the date of the injury and wholly or mainly dependent upon the deceased teacher for support; and (c) an adopted child, adopted in a manner recognised by law, before the date of the injury and dependent as aforesaid. (6) A teacher who dies as a result of injuries received while travelling by air in pursuance of official instructions shall be 20 deemed to have died in the circumstances detailed in subsection (1) (a) and (c) of this section. (7) In such a case as described in subsection (6) and if paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of this section is also satisfied the rates of pension prescribed in paragraphs (i) and (ii) of that subsection shall be fifteen- sixtieths and one-sixth respectively. (8) If a teacher proceeding by a route approved by the Governor- General to or from Belize at the commencement or termination of his service therein, or of a period of leave there from, dies as the result of damage to the vessel or vehicle in which he is travelling, or of any act of violence directed against such vessel or vehicle, and the Governor- General is satisfied that such damage or act is attributable to circumstances arising out of war in which Belize may be engaged, such teacher shall be deemed, for the purposes of this section, to have died in the circumstances described in subsection (1) of this section. (9) This section shall not apply in the case of the death of any officer selected for appointment to the service of Belize on or after the date of the commencement of this Act, if his dependants as defined in the Workmen’s Compensation Act, Cap. 303, are entitled to compensation under that Act.