CAP. 309 BELIZE RED CROSS SOCIETY ACT BELIZE

BELIZE RED CROSS SOCIETY ACT

CHAPTER 309

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

BELIZE RED CROSS SOCIETY ACT 4

Amendments in force as at 31st December, 2000.

BELIZE

BELIZE RED CROSS SOCIETY ACT

CHAPTER 309

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

BELIZE RED CROSS SOCIETY ACT 4

Amendments in force as at 31st December, 2000.

THE SUBSTANTIVE LAWS OF BELIZE REVISED EDITION 2000

Printed by the Government Printer,

No. 1 Power Lane,

Belmopan, by the authority of

the Government of Belize.

Belize Red Cross Society [CAP. 309

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CHAPTER 309

BELIZE RED CROSS SOCIETY

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

1. Short title.

2. Interpretation.

3. Establishment of Society.

4. Incorporation of the Belize Red Cross Society.

5. General objects.

6. Recognition as a Voluntary Aid Society.

7. Independence of Society.

8. Use of the Red Cross Emblem. Offences and penalty.

9. General Assembly of the Society.

10. General Assembly’s powers to draw up rules.

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SCHEDULE

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Belmopan, by the authority of

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CHAPTER 309

BELIZE RED CROSS SOCIETY

[18th August, 1983]

1. This Act may be cited as the Belize Red Cross Society Act.

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

“Branch” means the Belize Branch of the British Red Cross Society that was

in operation immediately before the commencement of this Act;

“Constitution” means the Rules made by the General Assembly in accordance

with the powers given under section 10 of this Act;

“Scheduled Conventions” means the Conventions specified in the Schedule

hereto;

“Society” means the Belize Red Cross Society.

3. On the commencement of this Act-

(a) there shall be established and constituted the Belize

Red Cross Society which shall be the sole national Red Cross

Society in Belize;

(b) all the assets and liabilities of the Branch shall be transferred

to and be vested in the Society by virtue of this section and

without further assurance, and the Society shall have all the

powers necessary to take possession of, recover and deal

with such assets and discharge such liabilities;

(c) all deeds, bonds, instruments and contracts subsisting immed-

iately before the day on which this Act comes into operation

Short title.

Interpretation.

Establishment of

Society.

CAP. 256B,

R. E. 1980-1990.

Schedule.

12 of 1983.

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Belize Red Cross Society [CAP. 309

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to which the Branch is a party shall be as of full force and effect

against or in favour of the Society and enforceable as fully and

effectually as if instead of the Branch, the Society had been a

party thereto;

(d) officers of the Branch shall continue to hold corresponding

appointments in the Society until other provisions are made in

accordance with rules made under this Act, and members of

the Branch shall become corresponding active members,

Honorary Members and Subscribing Members of the Society,

but subject to any provisions contained in the aforesaid rules.

4. The Society shall be a body corporate under the name of the Belize Red

Cross Society, having perpetual succession and a common seal, with power to

sue and be sued, purchase, acquire, hold, manage and dispose of movable and

immovable property, and to enter into any such contracts as it may consider

necessary or expedient for the purpose of performing its functions or achieving

its objects under this Act.

5.-(1) The objects of the Society shall be-

(a) to act in case of armed conflict, and in peace prepare to act in

all the fields covered by the Geneva Convention and their addit-

ional Protocols and on behalf of all the war victims, both civilian

and military;

(b) to contribute to the improvement of health, the prevention of

disease and the mitigation of suffering by programmes of training

and services for the benefit of the community, adapted to national

and local needs and circumstances;

(c) to organise, within the scope of the national plan, emergency

relief services for the victims of disasters, however caused;

Incorporation

of the Belize

Red Cross

Society.

General

objects.

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the Government of Belize.

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(d) to recruit, train and assign such personnel as are necessary for

the discharge of its responsibilities;

(e) to promote the participation of children and young people in the

work of the Red Cross;

(f) to propagate the Fundamental Principles of the Red Cross and

of International Humanitarian Law in order to develop among

the population, and in particular among children and youth, the

ideals of peace, mutual respect and understanding among all men

and all peoples.

(2) In pursuing the objects referred to in subsection (1) of this section,

the Society shall not make any adverse distinction founded on sex, race, nationality,

religion, political opinions or any other similar criteria and shall act in accordance

with the spirit and principles of the Scheduled Conventions.

6. The Society is hereby recognised by the Government as a Voluntary Aid

Society auxiliary to the public authorities and in particular in the sense of Article

26 of the First Geneva Convention of 1949 and shall have the right in conformity

with Scheduled Conventions to use the heraldic emblem of the red cross on a

white ground, formed by reversing the Swiss Federal Colours and the words

“Red Cross”.

7. The independent and voluntary nature of the Society shall at all times be

respected in accordance with the resolution relative to National Red Cross

Societies adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on the 19th

November, 1946.

8.-(1) The Society shall have the right in conformity with the Scheduled

Conventions to use the name and the emblem of the Red Cross on a white ground

formed by reversing the Swiss Federal Colours.

(2) (a) It shall not be lawful for any persons other than those authorised

Recognition as a

Voluntary Aid

Society.

Independence of

Society.

Use of the Red

Cross Emblem.

Offences and

penalty.

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No. 1 Power Lane,

Belmopan, by the authority of

the Government of Belize.

Belize Red Cross Society [CAP. 309

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under the provisions of the Scheduled Conventions to use for

any purpose whatever the emblem of the Red Cross on a white

ground, or any colourable imitation thereof, or the words “Red

Cross” or the arms of the Swiss Confederation.

(b) Any person who contravenes the provisions of subsection (2)

(a) commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a

fine of five hundred dollars or to imprisonment for twelve months,

or to both such fine and imprisonment.

(3) The Minister of the appropriate Ministry may by any regulations

make provisions generally for the use of the emblem and the prevention and

repression of its misuse.

9.-(1) The highest authority of the Society shall be a General Assembly

constituted in accordance with its Constitution made under this Act. There shall

also be a Central Committee and District Committees with such powers and

duties as may be prescribed by the said Constitution.

(2) The first members of the General Assembly shall be those

persons who, immediately before the coming into operation of this Act, were

duly elected to their position by the Branch.

10.-(1) The General Assembly shall frame and establish a Constitution being

rules for the management of the affairs of the Society and the accomplishment of

its objects. Such Constitution shall provide, inter alia:-

(a) that membership of the Society shall not be withheld from any

citizen of Belize on the grounds of race, class, sex, religion, or

political opinions;

(b) that all members of the Society shall have representation on the

General Assembly.

General

Assembly of

the Society.

General

Assembly’s

powers to draw

up rules.

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the Government of Belize.

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(2) Rules made under this section may from time to time be altered,

added to or repealed by the General Assembly and new rules may from time

to time be made in like manner.

(3) Rules made under this section need not to be published in the

Gazette.

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SCHEDULE

[Section 2]

1. Geneva Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of the

Wounded and Sick in Armed Forces in the Field of August 12, 1949.

2. Geneva Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of the

Wounded, Sick and Shipwrecked Members of Armed Forces at Sea of August

12, 1949.

3. Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War of

August 12, 1949.

4. Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in

Time of War of August 12, 1949.

5. Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949,

and relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts

(Protocol I).

6. Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949,

and relating to the Protection of Victims of Non-International Armed Conflicts

(Protocol II).