Revised Laws of Saint Lucia (2022)

13.   Liabilities of relatives of needy person for his or her relief

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   (1)   For the purposes of this Act every husband is liable to maintain his wife and every child under the age of 16 years whether legitimate or illegitimate, that she may have residing with her and wholly dependant on her at the time of her marriage with him; every father to maintain his child, every grandparent his grandchild; every widow her child; and the father and mother of every illegitimate child, their illegitimate child, until such child, grandchild and illegitimate child respectively shall attain the age 16 years, and when any needy person shall through age, infirmity or other defect is unable to support himself or herself every child and grandchild of such person is liable according to his or her ability to maintain such needy persons.

However, nothing herein contained shall be taken to extinguish or lessen any obligation which the law imposes upon any husband or parent in regard to the maintenance of his wife or children, legitimate or illegitimate, independent of the provisions of this subsection.

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   (2)   If any person made liable by this section to maintain any other person neglects or refuses so to do, then on complaint made by the Secretary to the Board his or her official name it shall be lawful for any magistrate, if satisfied of the ability of the party to make such payment, to order such party to repay to the Board any amount expended under this Act in the relief of the person whom such party is so made liable to maintain, and in default of payment to deal with such party under the Criminal Code as though such order were a conviction within the meaning of the said Code. (Amended by Act 34 of 1999)

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   (3)   If in any proceedings brought under or by virtue of this section the parentage of any illegitimate child shall be disputed by the reputed father thereof, the evidence of the mother shall not be considered sufficient, unless corroborated in some material particular by other testimony.