Summary:
The 2003 Anti-personnel Mines Act, Act No. 24 of 2003, was assented to on 5 January 2004 and published on 10 January 2004. It implements the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-personnel Mines and on their Destruction (the 1997 Ottawa Convention). The Act makes it an offence to use, develop or produce an anti-personnel mine in Belize, or to participate in the acquisition of, or possess or participate in the transfer of, an anti-personnel mine or its components in Belize. It also makes it an offence to in any way assist, encourage or induce any person to engage in such activities. The Act permits the transfer of antipersonnel mines for the purpose of destruction, and, subject to the authorization of the Commandant, Belize Defence Force, the retention or transfer of a number of anti-personnel mines for the development of and training in mine detection, mine clearance, or mine destruction techniques, or for use in any criminal investigation or proceeding in which the anti-personnel mine in question is or may be evidence. The Commandant, Belize Defence Force, is responsible for the search for and destruction of anti-personnel mines and their components. The Act also implements the international fact-finding missions regime established by the Ottawa Convention and provides for privileges and immunities for the members of these missions. Obstruction of any member of a fact-finding mission constitutes an offence. Any person who fails to comply with a notice served by the Commandant, Belize Defence Force, requesting that information be given or records kept for purposes of the Ottawa Convention commits an offence. The Act also stipulates that all information required to be furnished to the Secretary-General of the United Nations under the Ottawa Convention shall be furnished by the minister to whom responsibility for defence is assigned.