CAP. 206, BEES CONTROL ACT BELIZE

BEES CONTROL ACT CHAPTER 206

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

BEES CONTROL ACT 4 Amendments in force as at 31st December, 2000.

BELIZE

BEES CONTROL ACT CHAPTER 206

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

BEES CONTROL ACT 4 Amendments in force as at 31st December, 2000.

THE SUBSTANTIVE LAWS OF BELIZE REVISED EDITION 2000 Printed by the Government Printer,



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CHAPTER 206

BEES CONTROL

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

1. Short title.

2. Interpretation.

3. Importation.

4. Grant of permit subject to regulations, etc.

5. Penalty for importing without permit.

6. Registration of owners and apiaries.

7. Regulations.

8. Minister may appoint persons to carry out provisions of this Act.

9. Examination of apiaries.

10. Duties of owner of apiary.

11. Destruction of infected apiaries.

12. Decision of Chief Agricultural Officer final.

13. Size of apiaries.

14. Offences.

15. Consent of Chief Agricultural Officer for certain prosecutions. ____________

CHAPTER 206

BEES CONTROL [4th August, 1962]

1. This Act may be cited as the Bees Control Act.

2. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires:-

“apiary” means a collection of any number of hives;

“beekeeper’s stock” includes combs, hives that have been in use, and other products of and things used in connection with bee keeping;

“hive” means any structure kept for the purpose of housing a colony of bees;

“disease” means American Foul brood, European Foul brood, Nosema disease and such other diseases as the Minister may from time to time by Order published in the Gazette declare to be a disease for the purposes of this Act and the Belize Agricultural Health Authority Act;

3. No bees, honey or beekeeper’s stock shall be imported or brought into Belize except with the permission in writing of the Chief Agricultural Officer first had and obtained, and any bees, honey or beekeeper’s stock imported or brought into Belize without such permission may be seized and destroyed at any time by any Customs Officer or by any member of the police department.

4.-(1) The Chief Agricultural Officer may grant to any person a permit to bring into Belize any bees, or beekeeper’s stock, subject to such regulations as the Minister may make and subject also to such terms and conditions as may be endorsed thereon by the Chief Agricultural Officer and are not

Short title.

Interpretation.

CAP. 169, R. E. 1980-1990. 11 of 1962. 40 of 1963. 42 of 1999. S. I. 17 of 1964.

40 of 1963.

Importation.

Grant of permit subject to regulations, etc.

CAP. 211.

42 of 1999.

S. I. 17 of 1964.

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inconsistent with the terms of those regulations.

(2) On the breach of any term or condition prescribed by such regulations or endorsed on such permit by the Chief Agricultural Officer, the Chief Agricultural Officer may, with the approval of the Minister, destroy or cause to be destroyed any bees, honey or beekeeper’s stock so brought into Belize.

5. Any person importing or bringing into Belize any bees, honey or beekeeper’s stock without first obtaining a permit from the Chief Agricultural Officer commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months.

6. Every person who, on 31st December in any year, possesses or has the charge or management of any apiary or hive of bees shall on or before 28th February in the following year report in writing to the Chief Agricultural Officer-

(a) the number of apiaries in his charge or possession on 31st December of the previous year;

(b) the number of hives in each such apiary;

(c) the place and district in which each such apiary is situated.

7.-(1) Minister may make regulations for the purpose of more effectually carrying out the provisions of this Act.

(2) Regulations made under subsection (1) may, without prejudice to the generality of such power, make provision with regard to-

(a) the measures to be taken for the treatment of any disease by the owner or person having the charge or management of any

S. I. 17 of 1964.

Penalty for importing without permit.

Registration of owners and apiaries.

Regulations.

apiary;

(b) the duties of persons appointed to carry out the provisions of this Act;

(c) general provisions for the purpose of preventing the intro- duction and spread of disease or of any particular disease;

(d) the terms and conditions under which bees and beekeeper’s stock may be imported.

8.-(1) The Minister may appoint members of the Agricultural Department to carry out the provisions of this Act and of any orders or regulations issued thereunder and may depute to the Chief Agricultural Officer the power to make such appointments.

(2) The Minister shall fix the amount of compensation to be awarded to the owner of any apiary destroyed under the provisions of this Act.

(3) Any such compensation and any other expenses incurred in carrying out the provisions of this Act shall be paid out of moneys voted by the National Assembly.

9. Any person appointed under section 8 may, with such assistance as may be necessary, enter upon any land and there examine any apiary in order to ascertain whether the apiary is infected with disease but the exercise of such power shall be without prejudice to the provisions of the Belize Agricultural Health Authority Act.

10.-(1) Every owner or person having the charge or management of any apiary who knows of or suspects the existence of any disease in such apiary shall with all practicable speed give notice in writing to the Chief Agricultural Officer and to the Belize Agricultural Health Authority of the fact of the apiary being so infected or suspected, and shall in such notice give all information in

Minister may appoint persons to carry out provisions of this Act.

Examinations of apiaries.

Duties of owner of apiary.

CAP. 211.

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his power as to the extent and nature of such disease. The notice shall be served personally or shall be sent by registered post.

(2) Where the owner or person having the charge or management of any apiary is charged with an offence under this section, he shall be presumed to have known of the existence of the disease, unless and until he shows to the satisfaction of the court that he had no knowledge thereof, and could not with reasonable diligence have obtained that knowledge.

11. When an apiary, hive or colony of bees is found to be infected or is suspected to be infected with any disease of bees within the meaning of this Act, those persons appointed to carry out the provisions of this Act are empowered to seize and destroy such apiary, hive or colony and stock in a manner and under such conditions as the Chief Agricultural Officer or the Managing Director of the Belize Agricultural Health Authority may think fit.

12. For the purposes of the Act, but without prejudice to the provisions of the Belize Agricultural Health Authority Act, the decision of the Chief Agricultural Officer as to the presence of any disease shall be final.

13.-(1) The maximum number of hives allowed in any one apiary shall be determined by the Chief Agricultural Officer.1

(2) The minimum distance between apiaries shall be determined by the Chief Agricultural Officer.1

14. Any person who-

(a) fails to give any report or notice required under section 6 or 10; or

1Gazette Notice No. 97 of 1964 determined the number of hives and the distance between apiaries.

Destructions of infected apiaries.

Decision of Chief Agricultural Officer final. CAP. 211

Size of apiaries.

Offences.

(b) refuses to any person acting in the execution of this Act or of any regulations made thereunder, admission to any land or place which the person mentioned in this paragraph is entitled to enter, or obstructs or impedes such person in so entering or in examining any apiary, or otherwise in any respect obstructs or impedes any person in the execution of his duty under this Act, or assists in any such obstruction or impeding

commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months.

15. No prosecution for an offence against section 6 or 10 shall be instituted except by or with the consent of the Chief Agricultural Officer.

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Consent of Chief Agricultural Officer for certain prosecutions.