PM Harris was referring to the St .Christopher and Nevis Statutory Rules and Orders (SRO’s) No. 38 of 2020 Emergency Powers (COVID-19) (No. 13) Regulations, which came into operations at 5 am on Saturday Aug. 8th.
Section 22 (Penalty) of the Regulations states: a police officer may issue a fixed penalty notice to any person who contravenes the provisions of section 15 in relation to wearing a face mask in public places.
A fixed penalty notice issued by a police officer in accordance with these Regulations shall be lawful notice that the person is charged with the commission of an offence and that a complaint will be made against that person in respect thereof requiring him or her to either pay the fixed penalty of five hundred dollars ($500) within ten business days or to appear at the court specified in the notice on the day and at the hour stated therein to answer the said complaint.”
However, Section 15. 2 (Wearing masks outdoors) of the Regulations, states “a person shall not be required to wear a mask: if he or she is under the age of three years old; if he or she suffers with a disability, cognitive impairment, dementia, asthma, chronic obstructive lung disease or other similar health condition or if he or she is within a private space including in a private vehicle.”
