Prison (Amendment) Bill 2019

No.of 2019 Prison (Amendment) Bill, 2019Saint Christopher

and Nevis

SAINT CHRISTOPHER AND NEVIS

No. of 2019

A BILL to amend the Prison Act, Cap. 19.08.

BE IT ENACTED by the Queen’s Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the National Assembly of Saint Christopher and Nevis and by the authority of the same as follows:

1. Short title.

This Act may be cited as the Prison (Amendment) Act, 2019.

2. Interpretation.

In this Act,

“Act” means the Prison Act, Cap. 19.08.

3. Amendment of section 2.

The Act is amended in section 2 by adding the following new definition in the correct alphabetical order

“ “Commissioner of Corrections” means to the officerappointed pursuant to section 7, who is the person in charge of prisons or the person who manages prisons in Saint Christopher and Nevis.”.

4. Amendment of section 7.

The Act is amended in section 7 by replacing it as follows

“7.Prison Officers.

(1)The Governor-General shall appoint a Commissioner of Corrections who shall be in charge of the prisons in the State and shall superintend and manage the same.

(2)In addition to the Commissioner of Corrections, the Governor-General shall appoint such other officers including

(a)a Deputy Commissioner of Corrections;

(b)an honorary chaplain,

as may be necessary, for the efficient management of the prison.

(3)The duties of the officers appointed by virtue of sub-sections (1) and (2) shall be such as may be prescribed by Rules made under section 26.”.

5. Amendment of section 9.

The Act is amended by replacing sub-section 9 (3)

“(3)A writ, warrant or other legal instrument addressed to the Commissioner of Corrections and identifying that prison by its situation or by any other sufficient description shall not be invalidated by reason only that the prison is usually known by a different description.”.

6. Amendment of section 10.

The Act is amended by replacing sub-section 10 (1)

“(1)Every prisoner shall be deemed to be in the legal custody of the Commissioner of Corrections.”.

7. Amendment of section 12.

The Act is amended by replacing section 12

“Duty of Commissioner of Corrections to deliver calendar of prisoners.

The Commissioner of Corrections shall, in relation to persons committed for trial before the High Court and confined to prison, deliver to the Court a calendar of those persons.”.

8. Amendment of section 25.

The Act is amended by replacing section 25

“The Commissioner of Corrections shall cause to be affixed in a conspicuous place outside the prison a notice of the penalties to which persons committing offences under sections 22, 23 and 24 are liable.”.

……………………………..

A. MICHAEL PERKINS

Speaker