The Bar Association of Saint Lucia has announced that it has written to Prime Minster Allen Chastanet, Attorney General Stephen Julien and House Speaker Andy Daniel to request that the COVID-19(Prevention and Control) Bill be deferred “pending public consultation and review and comment from the Bar Association.” The bill — which aims to “regulate the containment of the spread of COVID-19 in Saint Lucia in the interests of public safety, public order and public health” — is on the Order Paper for Tuesday’s House of Assembly sitting.
“This Bill first came to our attention on Friday via social media. The Bar Association was not consulted on this Bill. The passing of such an important Bill through all stages at this one sitting of Parliament without stakeholder consultation is unacceptable,” the association said in a statement late Monday night. “The Government of Saint Lucia would have had ample time to undertake the necessary consultation on this Bill and we should under no circumstances accept a compromise of our rights and civil liberties due to this lack of understanding of the necessity of public consultation, our democracy and the Rule of Law.”
Tuesday’s House of Assembly sitting is scheduled to commence at 10:00 AM.
UPDATE: Prime Minister Allen Chastanet and Attorney General Stephen Julien disclosed Tuesday that the Bill will not be deferred: https://stluciastar.com/breaking-st-lucia-government-standing-ground-covid-19-bill-will-not-be-deferred-ag-says-there-was-sufficient-consultation/
