SAINT CHRISTOPHER AND NEVIS
STATUTORY RULES AND ORDERS
No. 6 of 2020
Proclamation dated the 27th day of March 2020, made pursuant to section 19(1) of the Constitution and under section 3(1)(a) of the Emergency Powers Act
BY THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF SAINT CHRISTOPHER AND NEVIS
A PROCLAMATION
SIR SAMUEL WEYMOUTH TAPLEY SEATON G..C.M.G, C.V.O, Q.C, JP, LLD GOVERNOR-GENERAL
[Published 27th March 2020, Extra Ordinary Gazette No. 21 of 2020.]
WHEREAS by virtue of the provisions of section 19(1) of the Saint Christopher and Nevis 1983 Constitution Order, as set out in the Fourth Schedule to the West Indies Act, Cap. 1.01, the Governor-General may by proclamation, declare that a state of emergency exists in Saint Christopher and Nevis for the purposes of Chapter II of the Constitution
AND WHEREAS section 19(2) of the Constitution provides that a proclamation made under subsection (1) shall not be effective unless it includes a declaration that the Governor-General is satisfied that a public emergency has arisen –
(a) because of the possibility that Her Majesty may shortly be at war;
(b) because of the occurrence of any accident or natural calamity; or
(c) because action that has been taken by any person, or there is an imminent threat ofaction by any person, of such a nature and on so extensive a scale as to be likely to endanger the public safety or to deprive the community or any substantial portion of the community of supplies or services essential to life.
AND WHEREAS it is further provided by section 3(1) (a) of the Emergency Powers Act, Cap. 19.02, that where it appears to the Governor-General that a public emergency has arisen as a result of the imminence of a state of war between Her Majesty and any Foreign State or as a result of the occurrence of any earthquake, hurricane, flood, fire, outbreak of pestilence, outbreak of infectious disease or any other calamity, he or she may declare that a state of emergency exists and that the declaration is reasonably justifiable in the interests of defence, public safety, public order or public health
AND WHEREAS in light of the threat to Saint Christopher and Nevis of the incursion of the COVID-19 virus, an infectious disease on the scale of a global pandemic
NOW THEREFORE, I, Sir Samuel Weymouth Tapley Seaton, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, Commander of the Royal Victorian Order, Queen’s Counsel, Justice of the Peace, Doctor of Laws, Governor-General of the Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis DO HEREBY declare that a State of Emergency for Saint Christopher and Nevis exists and is reasonably justifiable in the interest of public health on the ground of the threat of a natural calamity of the COVID-19 virus, an infectious disease which has taken effect on a pandemic scale and now threatens the Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis
This Proclamation shall be in effect from 7 p.m. on Saturday 28th March, 2020 until 6 p.m. on Saturday, 11th April, 2020
AND all our officers and loving subjects in Saint Christopher and Nevis and all others whom it may concern are hereby required to take due notice hereof and to give their ready obedience accordingly.