(1) The Board shall, after consultation with the Minister, appoint a suitably qualified person as the Chief Executive Officer of free zones, or contract out the duties of such office to a corporate body.
(2) The functions of the Chief Executive Officer shall be to—
(a) attend to the daily management of the business activities of free zones in accordance with this Act and regulations and to carry out the policies of the Board;
(b) recruit, supervise, discipline and dismiss staff;
(c) formulate loan requests for the FZMA and an annual budget with plans and programmes for presentation to and approval by the Board;
(d) prepare quarterly reports and an annual report as required by the Board, to be presented to the Board and the Ministry responsible for commerce and industry;
(e) execute decisions and resolutions made by the Board;
(f) contract the services of management consultants or technical experts on matters of organisation and operations of a free zone;
(g) issue permits for the entry and exit of persons, goods and services to and from free zone premises;
(h) issue licences approved by the Board to free zone businesses operating within free zones;
(i) collect fees and charges as imposed under this Act or the regulations;
(j) receive applications for certificates of origin for onward transmission to the Customs and Excise Department;
(k) ensure that all building and landscape plans within a free zone comply with the national building codes and any other laws in force;
(l) carry out any other responsibilities that may be assigned by the Board.
(3) For the purpose of this section, “Certificate of Origin” means the documentation issued by the Customs and Excise Department in Saint Lucia for the purpose of designating goods and services as originating from Saint Lucia.