Revised Laws of Saint Lucia (2022)

2.   Interpretation

In this Act—

“area” means an area into which Saint Lucia is divided under section 3;

“Board” means the Public Health Board established by the Minister under section 5;

“disease” includes any condition of the body or some part or organ thereof in man or animal in which performance thereof is disturbed or deranged and any disease listed described or referred to on the requests made under this Act;

“district” means a health or sanitation district established by the Minister within an area under section 3;

“environmental health officer” means a public officer appointed under section 7; (Inserted by Act 19 of 2019)

“functions” include powers and duties;

“licence” means a licence issued under the regulations made under this Act;

“local authority” means the Castries Corporation constituted under the Castries Corporation Act, 1967, any town, village, or district council under the Local Authorities Act;

“medical officer of health” means a person duly appointed or authorised to act as a medical officer of health under this Act and includes the Chief Medical Officer;

“Minister” means the Minister responsible for health;

“officer” includes the Chief Medical Officer, medical officer of health, public health nurse, environmental health officer and any person appointed as a public health officer under this Act; (Amended by Act 19 of 2019)

“premises” includes land whether open or closed, whether built on or not whether public or private and whether or not maintained under any enactment and any aircraft, ship, vessel, boat, hut, barge, tent, van, shed or similar structure;

“public health inspector” (Repealed by Act 19 of 2019)

“public health hazard” means—

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   (a)     a condition of premises;

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   (b)     a substance, thing, plant, animal or organism other than a human;

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   (c)     a solid, liquid or gas;

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   (d)     radiation, noise, vibration or heat; or

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   (e)     an activity,

that presents or may present a threat to the public health;

(Inserted by Act 19 of 2019)

“public health nurse” means a person duly appointed as such under this Act;

“public officer” has the meaning assigned to it under section 124(1) of the Constitution of Saint Lucia; (Inserted by Act 19 of 2019)

“works or work” includes the structural alteration of a building, the repair of a road whether public or private and the removal or abatement of a nuisance.