Petitions

(1) Every Petition intended to be presented to the Senate must conclude with a prayer setting forth the general object of the Petition. (2) A Petition shall not be presented to the Senate unless it shall have been endorsed by the Clerk as being in accordance with the rules in regard to Petitions. 112 Belize Constitution (3) The Senator presenting a Petition may state concisely the purpose of the Petition. (4) All Petitions shall be ordered to lie upon the Table without question put unless a Senator when presenting a Petition moves for it to be read or printed, or referred to a Select Committee. Any such motion shall be decided forthwith without amendment or debate. The provisions of this paragraph shall not apply to a Petition from the promoters of a Private Bill under Standing Order 76 (Private Bills). (5) The Senate shall not receive any Petition– (a) which is not addressed to the Senate or which is not properly and respectfully worded; or (b) which has not at least one signature on the sheet on which the prayer of the Petition appears and which has not at least the prayer at the head of each subsequent sheet of signatures; or (c) which, in the opinion of the President requests that provision be made for imposing or increasing or reducing or abolishing any tax, for imposing or increasing any charge on the revenues or other funds of Belize or for altering any such charge otherwise than by reducing it, or for compounding or remitting any debt due to Belize unless on the recommendation or with the consent of the Governor-General, signified by a Minister or the Senator responsible for Government