Revised Laws of Saint Lucia (2023)

PART 4
PROVISIONS AS TO SHIPS DEPARTING

15.   General power to examine persons embarking

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   (1)   The health officer may examine any person who intends to embark in a ship whom he or she suspects to be suffering from an infectious disease and if, after examination, he or she is of opinion that the person shows symptoms of any infectious disease he or she may prohibit his or her embarkation.

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   (2)   The health officer may also prohibit the embarkation in a ship of any person who has been in such relations to the sick as to render him or her liable to transmit an infectious disease.

16.   Infected areas in Saint Lucia

When any area of Saint Lucia is an infected area, the health officer shall cause to be taken measures—

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   (a)     to secure the medical examination of all persons about to leave that area by sea so as to prevent the embarkation of persons showing symptoms of any specified infectious disease and of persons in such relations with the sick as to render them liable to transmit the disease;

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   (b)     in the case of plague, to prevent rats gaining access to the ship, and, where indicated, to secure the destruction of rats and mice on board;

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   (c)     in the case of cholera, to ensure that drinking water and foodstuffs taken on board are wholesome, and that water taken in as ballast is disinfected if necessary;

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   (d)     in the case of yellow fever, to prevent mosquitoes gaining access to ships;

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   (e)     in the case of typhus, to secure the delousing before embarkation of all persons suspected of being infested with lice;

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   (f)     in the case of smallpox, to disinfect old clothes and rags before they are packed or baled and to ensure that persons from the infected area are protected against the disease before embarkation;

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   (g)     if the health officer thinks fit, to secure the examination of any clothing, bedding or other article of personal use which belongs to or is in use or is intended for use by the crew or any person who proposes to embark or is on board and which, in the opinion of the health officer or an authorised officer may have been exposed to infection, and to secure the disinfection or destruction of any such clothing, bedding or other article of personal use;

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   (h)     if the health officer thinks fit, to secure the disinfection to the satisfaction of the health officer or an authorised officer of any parts of the ship which, in the opinion of the health officer or authorised officer, may be infected.

17.   Offences

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   (1)   A person commits an offence who—

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      (a)     knowing or having reason to suspect that he or she is suffering from an infectious disease embarks in or is conveyed in a ship leaving Saint Lucia without the permission of the health officer; or

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      (b)     embarks in a ship about to leave an infected area of Saint Lucia without submitting himself or herself for examination by the health officer, or exports or takes on board any such ship any merchandise, stores, baggage, personal effects or other articles from such area without submitting them for examination, and, if required, disinsectisation and disinfection by the health officer or an authorised officer, or does any of such things as aforesaid contrary to any prohibition or restriction which the health officer may impose with a view to preventing the spread of infection.

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   (2)   Any master of a ship, ship owner or ship's agent, who knowingly conveys or permits the conveyance in a ship from an infected area of Saint Lucia of any person or thing contrary to any prohibition or restriction imposed by or under regulation 15 or 16, commits an offence against these Regulations.