Multiple Bills to be tabled on October 15 in the Parliament of St Kitts and Nevis

St Kitts and Nevis: Multiple Bills will be tabled for initial reading in Parliament on October 15, 2020. One Bill will get its second reading.

Thursday, 15th October 2020

St Kitts and Nevis: Multiple Bills will be tabled for initial reading in Parliament on October 15, 2020. One Bill will get its second reading. The Bills for first reading involve Saint Christopher and Nevis (Mutual Exchange of Information in Taxation Matters) (Amendment) Bill, 2020; Constitution of Saint Christopher and Nevis (Amendment) Bill, 2020; Saint Christopher and Nevis Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2020; National Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill, 2020; Public Health (Amendment) Bill, 2020; COVID-19 (Prevention and Control) Bill, 2020; and National Conservation and Environmental Management Bill, 2020. The Bill for the following reading is the National Assembly (Amendment) Bill, 2020. Saint Christopher (Mutual Exchange of Information in Taxation Matters) (Amendment) Bill, 2020, is a Bill to modernise the responsible authority on taxation matters. Constitution of Saint Christopher and Nevis (Amendment) Bill, 2020, is a Bill to revise the Constitution of Saint Christopher and Nevis to decrease the count of years of residency that would qualify a person for citizenship. Saint Christopher and Nevis Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2020, is a Bill to amend Saint Christopher and Nevis Citizenship Act to subdue the number of years of residency that would qualify an individual for citizenship. The Bill intends to reduce 14 years to seven (7) years to be eligible for citizenship. COVID-19 (Prevention and Control) Bill,2020, is a Bill to cater for public health and other interventions to stop, control and suppress the transmission of the COVID-19 virus and for concerning issues. Public Health (Amendment) Bill, 2020, is a Bill to revise the Public Health Act to formally set out the purpose and duties of the Health Emergency Operating Centre. National Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill, 2020 is a Bill to formally explain the general supervisory role of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), which articulates to the activation of the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC). National Conservation and Environmental Management Bill, 2020, is a Bill to cater for environmental management, conservation and sustainable use and development of biodiversity, natural resources, and the natural and cultural heritage of St. Kitts and Nevis. National Assembly Elections (Amendment) Bill,2020, is a Bill to accommodate for the length of stay that would simplify several non-national citizens to vote in the Federation. The National Assembly will be conducted live on sharing radio stations. It can also be seen live on TV Channel 5 in St. Kitts and Channel 98 in Nevis. Copies of Bills can be found on the website (sknis.kn) of the St. Kitts and Nevis Information Service under division: Parliament.