Belize Public Service Regulations

1 Ministry of the Public Service Belmopan, Belize C. A. Belize Public Service Regulations 2014 FOREWORD The revision of Regulations governing the conditions of Service of employees of government is a significant undertaking in any system of Public administration. These Regulations are at the heart of human resource management (HRM) and define how Public officers are governed. It is therefore critical that these 2014 Regulations find currency with contemporary HRM principles and practices.

2 It is for these reasons that my Ministry went to extraordinary lengths to produce Regulations that will serve the Belize Public Service for the next decade and beyond. The process to revise the Public Service Regulations 2001 commenced in February of 2011. It included the review of several Regulations and Acts from other CARICOM countries, from which some Regulations were adapted. For the first time, extensive consultations were conducted with Public officers at the executive and senior and middle management levels to garner their input into the Regulations ; and the Public Service Union and the Office of the Solicitor General have been partners in the process from the very beginning.

3 The process has been rigorous and lengthy. I am pleased that Public Service Regulations 2014 is a reality. It realises one of my Government s promises in its Action Plan 2012- 2017, to Complete and introduce Revised Public Service Regulations . I would like to express thanks and appreciation to all who worked diligently and contributed to its production: the Committee comprised of Public Officers, the Public Service Union and the Office of the Solicitor General; Chief Executive Officers; Heads and Deputy Heads of Department; Administrative and Finance Officers and Administrative Assistants; The National Coordinator, NEMO and the Chief Elections Officer for their contributions to Parts 18 and 19, respectively; the staff of the Ministry of the Public Service .

4 And the Joint Staff Relations Council. My hope is that these Regulations will be a guiding resource for enhanced human resource management and development in this vital institution called the Belize Public Service . Senator Charles Gibson Minister for the Public Service PREFACE Belize is one of the few countries in the Commonwealth Caribbean that consistently revises its Regulations for the Public Service , for currency and relevance to a constantly changing work environment. The first, post-independence Regulations for the Belize Public Service was the General Orders 1982.

5 The use of orders was changed to Regulations in 1997, with the promulgation of the Public Service Regulations 1997. These were also the first Regulations signed into law by His Excellency the Governor General, in accordance with section 106 (3) of the Constitution. The Regulations were revised in 2001 and, thirteen years later, they are replaced by these Public Service Regulations 2014, signed into law by the Governor General on 1 October 2014. The Public Service Regulations 2014 is a combination of the Services Commissions Regulations 2001 and the Public Service Regulations 2001.

6 This amalgamation was considered a more pragmatic approach to the use of the Regulations , and a means of eliminating the inconvenience and confusion experienced by some Public officers with the two former documents. These Regulations are a vast improvement on the 2001 Regulations , having, for the first time, specific Parts for the administrative and institutional governance of the wider Service , including industrial relations and performance management; an expanded Code of Conduct, enhanced provisions for the discipline, health, safety and welfare, and training and career development of Public officers, are among other important features of these Regulations .

7 It is incumbent on Public officers to become versed in these Regulations . Public officers are therefore encouraged to keep these Regulations as a constant companion in the course of their duties and to utilise them as the authority for decision-making. Marian McNab Chief Executive Officer B E L I Z E: STATUTORY INSTRUMENT NO. 59 OF 2014 Belize CONSTITUTION ( Public Service ) Regulations , 2014 PART 1 PRELIMINARY 1. Citation. 2. Interpretation. 3. Application. PART 2 ADMINISTRATION AND INSTITUTIONAL 4. Functions of the Ministry.

8 5. Chief Executive Officers or heads of department. 6. Internal communication. 7. Staff meetings. 8. Responsibilities of Chief Executive Officers. PART 3 MEDICAL EXAMINATION AND MEDICAL BOARD 9. Medical examination on appointment. 10. Medical examination of Public officers. 11. Recruitment from overseas. 12. Public officers to submit for medical examination. 13. Medical Board. PART 4 APPOINTMENT 14. Nationality requirements. 15. Oath of confidentiality. 16. Procedure for filling vacancies. 17. Temporary relieving Public officers. 18. Qualifications for appointment. 19. Considerations for appointment.

9 20. Appointment, etc. of temporary Public officers. 21. Tenure of office of Public officers. 22. Probationary Service . 23. Appointment to post not yet relinquished. 24. Acting appointment. 25. Confirmation or termination of appointment. 26. Determination of seniority. 27. Consent to transfer on appointment. 28. Disqualification from employment. PART 5 ORIENTATION 29. New Public officers. 30. Public officer s information and record of Service . 31. Update of marital status and beneficiary. 32. Hours of duty, etc. 33. attendance registers. 34. Strict punctuality and attendance .

10 35. Access to personal records. 36. Public officers to be properly attired. 37. Uniforms. PART 6 PROMOTION 38. Factors of consideration for promotion. 39. Consent to transfer on promotion. PART 7 CODE OF CONDUCT 40. General conduct. 41. Conflict of interest and other prohibited conduct. 42. Bribery. 43. Personal indebtedness. 44. Bankruptcy. 45. Acceptance of gifts. 46. Responsibility for actions. 47. Confidentiality. 48. Copyright and royalties. 49. Use of copyrighted works. 50. Royalties, etc. 51. Use of technology. 52. Removal of property. 53. Access to information.