Revised Laws of Saint Lucia (2023)

PART 5
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS AS TO SHIPS ARRIVING AND IN PORT

18.   General power to inspect ships

The health officer or an authorised officer is entitled at any time to visit and inspect any ship arriving in or lying in a port of Saint Lucia (whether or not the ship has come from a foreign port) and—

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   (a)     in any circumstances which would justify the refusal of pratique under these Regulations in the case of ships arriving from foreign ports, direct that the ship be considered to be in quarantine for the purposes of all, or any of these Regulations;

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   (b)     direct that any such action shall be taken as would be appropriate under these Regulations, in the like circumstances in the case of ships arriving from foreign ports.

19.   Power to send ship to another port

If the health officer is of opinion that the port of Saint Lucia at which a ship arrives is not suitably equipped to deal with it for the purposes of these Regulations, he or she may order the master of the ship to take the ship to a port of Saint Lucia which is suitably equipped.

20.   General powers

A health officer may, in relation to any ship arriving in or lying in a port of Saint Lucia (whether the ship has come from a foreign port or otherwise)—

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   (a)     medically inspect the crew and passengers;

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   (b)     detain any such persons for medical examination;

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   (c)     prohibit any such persons from leaving the ship save upon such specified conditions as appear to the health officer to be reasonably necessary to prevent the spread of infection;

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   (d)     require the master to take or assist in taking such steps as, in the opinion of the health officer, are reasonably necessary for preventing the spread of infection by any such person, for the destruction of vermin, and for the removal of conditions in the ship likely to convey infection, including conditions the existence of which might facilitate the harbouring of vermin.

21.   Duties of Master

Without prejudice to any other provisions of these Regulations, it is the duty of the master of every ship which is in any port of Saint Lucia to notify a visiting officer (whether the information is requested or not) of any case or suspected case of infectious disease in the ship and of any circumstances on board which are likely to lead to infection or the spread of infectious disease including in the notification particulars as to the sanitary condition of the ship and the presence of dead rats or mice or mortality or sickness among rats or mice in the ship; and any master of a ship who contravenes or fails to comply with these requirements commits an offence.

22.   Repetition of sanitary measures not necessary

A ship, which before arriving at a port in Saint Lucia has already been subjected to sanitary measures to the satisfaction of the health officer of that port, shall not again be subjected to such measures unless some new incident has occurred which so requires.

23.   Saving in the case of ships continuing voyage

The master of a ship at or approaching a port of Saint Lucia who does not desire to submit to any requirements of these Regulations which may be applicable shall be at liberty to put to sea without being subjected to control under these Regulations if he or she notifies the health officer of his or her intention. However, if he or she desires to land goods, to disembark passengers or to take on fuel, foodstuffs or water, the health officer may grant him or her permission so to do subject to such conditions, in conformity with the provisions of these Regulations, as the health officer thinks fit; and the master shall proceed accordingly and put to sea with due despatch, and if he or she fails so to do he or she commits an offence.

24.   Powers as to persons who unlawfully board or leave ships

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   (1)   A person who leaves any ship contrary to the provisions of these Regulations may, without prejudice to any other liability, be apprehended by a visiting officer, authorised officer, quarantine guard or member of any police force constituted by law in Saint Lucia and compelled to return to the ship and, if he or she is not a passenger or member of the crew, may be dealt with as a passenger.

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   (2)   Any person who boards a ship contrary to any of the provisions of these Regulations may, if he or she is not a passenger or member of the crew, be dealt with as a passenger.

25.   Persons suffering from infectious diseases not to land

A person on board a ship at a port of Saint Lucia who knows or has reason to suspect that he or she is suffering from an infectious disease shall in no case land without the permission of the health officer, and any person who contravenes this provision commits an offence.