Red Cross Society Act (amended in 2000)

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  • Country: Belize
  • Language: English
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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
[] 3
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.
_______________
SCHEDULE
________________

Belize Red Cross Society CAP. 309] 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. 4
[ ] 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.

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
[] 5
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.

Belize Red Cross Society CAP. 309] THE SUBSTANTIVE LAWS OF BELIZE REVISED EDITION 2000
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Belmopan, by the authority of
the Government of Belize. 6
[ ] (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.

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
[] 7
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.

Belize Red Cross Society CAP. 309] THE SUBSTANTIVE LAWS OF BELIZE REVISED EDITION 2000
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Belmopan, by the authority of
the Government of Belize. 8
[ ] (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.
_______________
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).