Emigrant Labourers Protection (CAP. 149 1

CHAPTER 149

THE EMIGRANT LABOURERS PROTECTION ACT

Arrangement of Sections
Section

1. Short title.
2 . Interpretation.
3 . Cabinet may prohibit emigration of labourers to certain

places.
4. Police may board vessel carrying labourers.
5. Arrest without warrant.
6. Offences.
7 . Regulations.
8. Penalty.

EMIGRANT LABOURERS PROTECTION

1811989.
S.I. 3911989.

1. This Act may be cited as the Emigrant Labourers short title.
Protection Act.

2. In this Act- Interpretation.

"labourer" includes mechanics, artizans, grooms,
gardeners, labourers, domestic servants and other
persons working at manual labour.

LAWS OF ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA

2 CAP. 149) Emigrant Labourers Protection

Cabinet may
prohibit

3. Where the Cabinet is satisfied that the conditions
emigration of of employment of manual labour in any country or place
labourers out of Antigua and Barbuda are such as would be detrimental
certain places.

to the labourers from Antigua and Barbuda by reason of
their ill-treatment or otherwise, the Cabinet may by order
prohibit absolutely the emigration of such labourers to that
country or place.

Police may board 4. (1) Any police officer may board any ship by which
vessel carrying
labourers. labourers are about to leave Antigua and Barbuda for service

out of Antigua and Barbuda, in order to ascertain whether
such labourers are leaving Antigua and Barbuda in contra-
vention of any order, prohibition or regulation made or
imposed under this Act, and for that purpose to require the
master of the ship to muster all such labourers on board.

( 2 ) In the absence of a police officer the Minister may
appoint a person to perform the duties of a police officer
under this Act.

(3) Any person who resists, obstructs, molests or assaults
any such police officer or appointed person when acting in
the exercise of his powers under the provisions of this sec-
tion, and the master of any such ship who fails to take all
reasonable steps to muster all the labourers on board of such
ship when required so to do by such police officer or
appointed person for the purpose aforesaid shall be guilty
of an offence against this Act.

Arrest without 5 . Any police officer or person appointed as aforesaid
warrant.

may arrest without warrant and bring before any
Magistrate-

( a ) any labourer who has left Antigua and Barbuda
and is found within the territorial sea of Antigua and
Barbuda;

(b) any labourer whom a police officer or person
appointed as aforesaid has reason to suspect to be
attempting to leave Antigua and Barbuda;

( c ) any person who aids or abets any labourer to
leave or attempt to leave Antigua and Barbuda;

in contravention of any order, prohibition or regulation made
or imposed under this Act.

LAWS OF ANTIGUA AND BARBUD.4

Emkrant Labourers Protection (CAP. 149 3

6 . (1) Any person who acts in contravention of or offences.
fails to comply with any order, prohibition or regulation made
or imposed under this Act shall be guilty of an offence against
this Act.

(2) Any person who aids or abets any person in any
contravention of any order, prohibition or regulation made
or imposed under this Act, shall be guilty of an offence against
this Act.

7. (1) The Cabinet may make regulations generally Regulations.
for carrying out the provisions of this Act.

(2) All regulations made under this section shall be
published in the Gazette and a newspaper, if any, in Antigua
and Barbuda, and when so published shall have the force
and effect of law.

8. Any person who is guilty of an offence against this
Act shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not
exceeding three thousand dollars.