Transfer of additional amounts in exceptional circumstances

(1) In, and only in, exceptional circumstances, may an amount additional to the Annual Transfer Amount be transferred from the Permanent Restricted Account to the Flexible Transfer Account in a financial year. Management Fund 27 (2) For the purposes of subsection (1) of this section, “exceptional circumstances” means, (a) devastation caused by man-made environmental disasters or natural disasters including hurricane, earthquake, famine, drought, or caused by civil turmoil and acts of war; (b) which, in the opinion of the Government, Affect a significant proportion of the population; and (c) from which, in the opinion of the Government, Belize cannot recover without the financial support, inter alia, of the transfer and application of an additional amount from the Permanent Restricted Account. (3) The additional amount referred to in subsection (1) of, this section, may only be transferred pursuant to an Act dealing with the transfer of that additional amount only for that financial year and no other matter, and to be voted on separately from any other Bill, and only if the Bill was supported on its final reading in the House of Representatives by a majority of three-quarters of all the members of that House. (4) The Bill mentioned in subsection (3) of this section, shall not be voted upon on its final reading unless fourteen days have elapsed since, (a) the Minister of Finance has laid before the House of Representatives a fully reasoned explanation of the need for the transfer of the additional amount, together with a detailed plan of expenditure; 28 Management Fund (b) the Independent Oversight Board has laid before the House a report on the proposal indicating whether, in the opinion of the Board, the additional amount should or should not be transferred; and (c) the Minister of Finance has provided a true and fair copy of his explanation, and Chairperson of the Independent Oversight Board has provided a true and fair copy of the report of the Board, to the Public Information Office, and the Office has publicized those copies. (5) The Minister of Finance shall provide true and fair copies of his explanations to the Independent Oversight Board in good time for the Board to prepare its report. (6) The House of Representative shall debate the explanation and report mentioned in this Section as a matter of urgency after they are laid before it and determine the appropriation of the amount referred to in subsection (1) of this section.