Revised Laws of Saint Lucia (2021)

2.   Interpretation

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   (1)   Any reference in this Act to the provisions of this Act shall, unless the context otherwise requires, include a reference to rules made under section 28 for the purposes of this Act.

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   (2)   In this Act, except in so far as the context otherwise requires or it is otherwise expressly provided, the following expressions have the meanings hereby respectively assigned to them, that is to say—

“agent” when used in relation to the Crown, includes an independent contractor employed by the Crown;

“civil proceedings” includes proceedings in the High Court or a district court for the recovery of fines or penalties;

“district court rules” includes the rules contained in Title 1 Chapter 3 of the Revised Rules and Orders, 1957, the Fourth Part of the Code of Civil Procedure, and any other enactment regulating the practice and procedure of district courts;

“Her Majesty's aircraft” does not include aircraft belonging to Her Majesty otherwise than in right of Her Government in the United Kingdom;

“Her Majesty's ships” means ships of which the beneficial interest is vested in Her Majesty or which are registered as Government ships for the purposes of the Merchant Shipping Acts, 1894 to 1940, or which are demised or subdemised to or in the exclusive possession of the Crown, except that the said expression does not include any ship in which Her Majesty is interested otherwise than in right of Her Government in the United Kingdom unless that ship is demised or subdemised to Her Majesty in right of Her said Government or in the exclusive possession of Her Majesty in that right;

“officer” in relation to the Crown, includes any servant of Her Majesty, in right of Her Government of Saint Lucia and accordingly (but without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provisions) includes the Governor General;

“order” includes a judgment, decree, rule, award or declaration;

“prescribed” means prescribed by rules made under section 28;

“proceedings against the Crown” includes a claim by way of set-off or counter claim raised in proceedings by the Crown;

“ship” has the meaning assigned to it by section 742 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894 of the United Kingdom;

“statutory duty” means any duty imposed under any Act or other law extending to (or having effect in) Saint Lucia.

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   (3)   Any reference in Parts 3 or 4 to civil proceedings by or against the Crown, or to civil proceedings to which the Crown is a party, shall be construed as including a reference to civil proceedings to which the Attorney General, or any Government department, or any officer of the Crown as such, is a party.

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   However, the Crown shall not for the purposes of Parts 3 and 4 be deemed to be a party to any proceedings by reason only that they are brought by the Attorney General upon the relation of some other person.

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   (4)   Any reference in this Act to the armed forces of the Crown shall be construed as including a reference to the following forces—

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      (a)     the Women's Royal Naval Service;

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      (b)     the Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service; and

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      (c)     any other organisation established under the control of the Admiralty, the Army Council or the Air Council.

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   (5)   Reference in this Act to any enactment shall be construed as references to that enactment as amended by or under any other enactment, including this Act.