BELIZE

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY STAFF ACT

CHAPTER 14

REVISED EDITION 2000

SHOWING THE LAW AS AT 31ST DECEMBER, 2000

This is a revised edition of the law, prepared by the Law Revision Commissioner
under the authority of the Law Revision Act, Chapter 3 of the Laws of Belize,
Revised Edition 1980 - 1990.

This edition contains a consolidation of the following laws- Page

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS 3

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY STAFF ACT 4

Amendments in force as at 31st December, 2000.
 BELIZE

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY STAFF ACT

CHAPTER 14

REVISED EDITION 2000

SHOWING THE LAW AS AT 31ST DECEMBER, 2000

This is a revised edition of the law, prepared by the Law Revision Commissioner
under the authority of the Law Revision Act, Chapter 3 of the Laws of Belize,
Revised Edition 1980 - 1990.

This edition contains a consolidation of the following laws- Page

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS 3

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY STAFF ACT 4

Amendments in force as at 31st December, 2000.
 National Assembly Staff [CAP. 14 3

CHAPTER 14

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY STAFF

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

1. Short title and commencement.

2. Interpretation.

3. Establishment of National Assembly Staff Committee.

4. Staff of the National Assembly to constitute a separate service.

5. Appointment of Clerk and Deputy Clerk.

6. Appointment of other staff and employees.

7. Appeals in discipline cases.

8. Terms and conditions of service to compare favorably with those in

Public Service.

9. Declaration of pensionable posts.

10. Submission of Budget Estimates.

11. Disqualification for membership of the National Assembly.

12. Code of Conduct.

13. Regulations.

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4 CAP. 14] National Assembly Staff

CHAPTER 14

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY STAFF

1 of 2000.
Commencement. [19th February, 2000]
[15. 4. 2000].
S. I. 37 of 2000.

Short title. 1. This Act may be cited as the National Assembly Staff Act.
Interpretation. 2. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires:-

(a) “Clerk” means the person holding office of Clerk to

the National Assembly pursuant to section 67 (1) of
CAP. 4. the Belize Constitution

(b) “Committee” means the National Assembly Staff

Committee appointed under section 3 of this Act;

(c) “Deputy Clerk” means the person holding the office

of Deputy Clerk to the National Assembly pursuant
CAP. 4. to section 67 (1) of the Belize Constitution;

(d) “Minister” means the Minister for the time being re-
sponsible for Finance.
Establishment of 3.- (1) For the purposes of this Act, there shall be established a National
National Assembly Staff Committee, which shall consist of:-
Assembly Staff
Committee. (a) the Speaker of the House of Representatives, or in
his absence the Deputy Speaker;

(b) three members of the House of Representatives

nominated by the House;

(c) the President of the Senate and one other member

of the Senate nominated by the Senate; and

(d) one member of the staff of the National Assembly

nominated by the Staff of the National Assembly or

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 National Assembly Staff [CAP. 14 5

one other person who is not a member of staff

nominated by the Staff of the National Assembly.

(2) The Speaker, or in his absence the Deputy Speaker, shall act
as the Chairman of the Committee.

(3) At any meeting of the Committee, four members, of whom one

shall be the Speaker or the Deputy Speaker, shall constitute a quorum.

(4) The decisions of the Committee shall be by a majority vote of

the members present and voting, and in the case of an equality of votes, the
Chairman shall have a second and casting vote.
(5) The Clerk or the Deputy Clerk shall act as the Secretary to the
Committee.

4. The staff of the National Assembly shall constitute a separate service Staff of the
which shall be subject to the provisions of this Act. National
Assembly to
constitute a
separate
service.
5.-(1) The Clerk and Deputy Clerk shall be appointed by the Governor-Gen- Appointment
eral, acting in accordance with the advice of the National Assembly Staff Com- of Clerk and
mittee. Deputy Clerk.

Provided that the persons holding the offices of the Clerk and Deputy
Clerk immediately before the commencement of this Act, shall be deemed to
have been appointed under this section.

(2) Power to exercise disciplinary control over persons holding or

acting in the office of the Clerk or of the Deputy Clerk and the power to re-
move such persons from office shall likewise vest in the Governor-General,
acting in accordance with the advice of the National Assembly Staff Commit-
tee.

(3) Subject to subsection (2), the Clerk or the Deputy Clerk

shall, unless he sooner reigns his office, hold office until he attains the age of
65 years or such later age as may, in any particular case, be determined by the
Committee:

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6 CAP. 14] National Assembly Staff

Provided that, subject as aforesaid, the persons holding the offices of

the Clerk and the Deputy Clerk at the commencement of this Act may, at their
option, continue to hold office until the age of 70 years, or such later age as
may be determined by the Committee.

(4) Nothing done by the Clerk or the Deputy Clerk shall be in-
valid by reason only that he has attained the age by which he is required by
subsection (3) to vacate his office.

Appointment of 6.-(1) Subject to section 5, the power to appoint other staff of the National
other staff and Assembly (including power to confirm appointments) and to exercise disci-
employees. plinary Control over such persons including the power to remove such per-
sons from office shall vest in the Committee.

Provided that the persons who are members of the staff of the Na-
tional Assembly immediately before the commencement of this Act shall be
deemed to have been appointed under this section.

(2) The Clerk (or, in his absence the Deputy Clerk) shall, under
the direction of the Speaker, exercise supervision and control over other mem-
bers of the staff of the National Assembly.

(3) It shall be lawful for the Clerk to delegate in writing any of his
powers of supervision and control over other members of the staff of the
National Assembly to the Deputy Clerk.

Appeals in 7. An appeal shall lie to the Belize Advisory Council from any decision
discipline cases. of the Governor-General, acting in accordance with the advice of the Com-
mittee under section 5, or from any decision of the Committee under section
6, in relation to the staff of the National Assembly.
Terms and con- 8. The salaries and other terms and conditions of service of the staff of
ditions of service the National Assembly shall be kept broadly in line with those obtaining for the
to compare corresponding posts in the Public Service.
favorably with
those in Public
Service.
Declaration of 9.-(1) The posts of Clerk, Deputy Clerk and the posts of the administrative,
pensionable technical, professional, clerical and secretarial staff on the National Assembly
posts. shall be pensionable under the Pensions Act, notwithstanding anything to the

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 National Assembly Staff [CAP. 14 7

contrary in that Act or any other enactment. Persons holding ancillary posts of CAP. 30.
the semi-skilled or unskilled category shall be entitled to retirement benefits
under the Government (Open Vote) (Workers) Regulations, as amended from
time to time.

(2) Where an officer in the public service is transferred to an office

under the National Assembly and he retires or resigns on pension from, or dies
while in the service of, the National Assembly, his service in the public service
shall rank as qualifying service or pensionable service, as the case may be, for
purposes of determining eligibility for a gratuity or pension under the Pensions
Act. CAP. 30.

(3) Notwithstanding any contrary provision in the Pensions Act or

any other enactment amending or replacing that Act, where a person employed CAP. 30.
in a pensionable office by the National Assembly is transferred to a pension-
able office in the public service, his service under the National Assembly shall
rank as qualifying service or pensionable service, as the case may be, for pur-
poses of determining his eligibility for a gratuity or pension under the Pensions
Act. CAP. 30.

(4) When making payment for a pension or gratuity in respect of

officers referred to in subsections (2) and (3) above, the Government shall pay
the whole pension or gratuity, but the National Assembly shall contribute to the
Government for the portion representing the number of years of pensionable
service rendered by the officer in the employment of the National Assembly.

(5) The National Assembly may provide for the establishment and
maintenance for the benefit of its officers and employees of a Pension Scheme,
Medical Insurance Scheme, or Provident Fund Scheme, and without prejudice
to the generality of the foregoing, such Schemes may enable the National As-
sembly to:-

(a) contribute to the Government the monies referred to

in subsection (4) above;

(b) grant gratuities, pensions or superannuation allow-

ances to, or to the widows, families or dependents
of, its employees and officers;

(c) establish contributory and superannuation schemes

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8 CAP. 14] National Assembly Staff

and establish and contribute to superannuation funds

for the benefit of its employees and officers;

(d) enter into and carry into effect medical insurance and
other agreements for securing to any such employ-
ees or officers, widows, family or dependents such
medical benefits, gratuities, pensions or allowances
as are by this section al lowed to be granted.

(6) All other staff of the National Assembly (other than the Clerk
and Deputy Clerk) shall retire on reaching the retirement age of 50 years, but
may continue in office after attaining 50 years until such later age as may be
determined by the Committee, which age shall not exceed 65 years.
Submission of 10. The Clerk shall, in such form and by such dates as may be prescribed
Budget Esti- by the Financial Secretary, prepare and submit to the Minister budget esti-
mates. mates for each financial year (including any supplementary estimates), and the
Minister shall include the same in the Appropriation Bill for that financial year
with such amendments, if any, as he may consider necessary.
Disqualification 11. The Clerk, the Deputy Clerk and other members of the staff of the
for membership National Assembly shall, while they hold their offices as such, be disqualified
as staff of the from being elected or appointed as a Member of the House of Representa-
National tives or as a Senator and from sitting or voting in the House of Representatives
Assembly. or the Senate.
Code of Con- 12. The Clerk, the Deputy Clerk and other staff of the National Assembly
duct. shall conduct themselves in a manner consistent with the code of conduct
CAP. 4. prescribed in section 121 of the Belize Constitution.

Regulations. 13.-(1) The Committee may make Regulations for the better carrying out of
the provisions of this Act.

(2) Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, such Regu-

lations may provide for all or any of the following matters-

(a) the criteria for making appointments to the posts on

the staff of the National Assembly;

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 National Assembly Staff [CAP. 14 9

(b) the fixing of salaries and privileges; and

(c) measures to ensure discipline and to govern the

dismissal and retirement of the staff including the
procedure to be followed.

(3) All Regulations made by the Committee under this section

shall, as soon as may be after the making thereof, be laid before the National
Assembly and shall be subject to negative resolution.

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