BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – A Sitting of the National Assembly will be held tomorrow (Jul. 8) in the National Assembly Chambers at Government Headquarters, where a number of Bills will be read, including the Income Tax (Amendment) Bill, National Assembly Elections (Amendment) Bill, Bankruptcy and Insolvency Bill, and the Value Added Tax (Amendment), as well as the Integrity in Public Life Bill which will have its second reading.
The police, however, in an attempt to improve security at Government Headquarters, would like to inform the general public that no unlawful assembly of persons would be permitted within the immediate surroundings of Government Headquarters.
In a press release today (Jul. 7), police have indicated that certain measures would be implemented and they are likely to affect the normal day-to-day business of the public.
“Such will include the diversion of the Traffic Flow within the precincts of Government Headquarters. Consequently, no vehicular traffic will be permitted to flow southwards on Church Street beyond Central Street. No unlawful assembly of persons in the precincts of Government Headquarters will be permitted,” the release reads.
It also highlights offences in relation to the National Assembly (Powers and Privileges) Act, Chapter 2:04, which states:
Section 8; Offences relating to admittance to the National Assembly
Any person who, being a stranger,
(a) enters or attempts to enter the Chamber or the precincts of the National Assembly in contravention of any order of the Speaker;
(b) fails or refuses to withdraw from the Chamber or the precincts of the National Assembly when ordered to withdraw therefrom by the Speaker; or
(c) contravenes any of the Standing Orders or any order made by the Speaker under section 6 relating to the admission of strangers,
commits an offence and shall be liable, on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding one seven hundred and fifty dollars ($750.00), or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three (3) months or both.
Section 9; Attempted intimidation of National Assembly or any committee
(1) If any persons to the number of twelve or more shall come in a riotous, tumultuous or disorderly manner to the Chamber or the precincts of the National Assembly while the National Assembly or any committee is sitting in order either to hinder or to promote the passing of any bill, resolution, or other matter pending before the National Assembly or such committee, they each commit an offence and shall, on summary conviction, each be liable to a fine not exceeding one thousand five hundred dollars ($1500.00) or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six (6) months or both.
(2) If any person shall incite any other persons to come in a riotous, tumultuous or disorderly manner to the Chamber or the precincts of the National Assembly while the National Assembly or any committee is sitting in order either to hinder or to promote the passing of any bill, resolution or other matter pending before the National Assembly or such committee, he or she commits an offence and shall, on summary conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding one thousand five hundred dollars (1500.00), or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six (6) months, or both.
Section 10; Other offences
Any person who
(b) assaults, obstructs, molests or insults any member coming to, being within, or going from the Chamber or the precincts of the National Assembly, or endeavors to compel any member by force, insult or menace to declare himself or herself in favour of or against any proposition or matter pending or expected to be brought before the National Assembly or any committee;
(c) assaults, interferes with, molests, hinders, resists, obstructs or insults any officer of the National Assembly while in the execution of his or her duty, or assaults, obstructs, molests or insults any officer of the National Assembly on his or her way to or from the National Assembly, knowing him or her to be such officer;
(d) creates or joins in any disturbance which interrupts or is likely to interrupt the proceedings of the National Assembly or any committee while the National Assembly or such committee is sitting;
(h) inflicts or threatens to inflict harm in body or estate upon any member or officer of the National Assembly with intent to influence him or her in his or her conduct as such member or officer;
(i) molests any member or officer of the National Assembly on account of his or her conduct as such member or officer; commits an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding seven hundred and fifty dollars ($750.00), or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three (3) months or both.
The police also warn that “persons who will be attending the sitting of the National Assembly, and the General Public are encouraged to be guided accordingly”.
On Friday (Jul. 5), during a protest march organised as part of the unity movement in the Federation, the protesters went off the designated route and attempted to march along Church Street.
This move however resulted in the arrest of former Leader of the People’s Action Movement, Lindsay Grant, following a confrontation with the police at the junction of Central and Church Streets, where barriers were erected with a heavily armed police presence.
To date, the police have not issued a statement on the matter from which conflicting accounts are circulating, even on the world renowned CNN.
It is alleged by some people that police pulled Grant over the barrier and assaulted him, while others claimed that Grant went beyond the barrier into the restricted area and got into a confrontation with the police.
Grant was taken to the Basseterre Police Station where he was charged with obstruction and subsequently released on bail.
