No. 13 of 1997. The Military Ungoms Act, 1997. 1 ANTIGUA
AND

BARBUDA

I Assent,

James B. Carlisle,
Governor-General.

25th November, 1997.

ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA

No. 13 of 1997

AN ACT to prohibit the wearing or trading of military uniforms and
accessories, purchase or sale of military stores and for matters
connected therewith.

[ 4th December, 1997 1

ENACTED by the Parliament of Antigua and Barbuda as
follows

1. This Act may be cited as the Military Uniforms Act, 1997. shoa titie.

2. In this Act - Interpretation.

"Defence Force" means the Defence Force of Antigua and
Barbuda established under Cap. 132;

"military uniforms" means combat or other distinctive dress
generally worn by members of the Antigua and Barbuda
Defence Force and includes any wearing apparel designed to
resemble such dress or any part thereof but shall not include
footwear;

ANTIGUA 2 The Military Uniforms Act, 1997. No. 13 of 1997.
AND

BARBUDA

"Minister" means the Minister responsible for Defence.

"enlisted person" means a person who is in the service of the
Antigua and Barbuda Armed Forces.

prohibition against 3. It shaU not be lawful for any person not serving in the Antigua
wearing military and BarbudaDefenceFmto wearwithouttheGovernor-Gend s
uniforms. permission the uniform or any dress having the appearance cr

bearing any of the regimental or other distinctive marks of any such
uniform.

Prohibition 4. NO person shall import, trade, sell ordeal in military uniforms
~ O ~ S a ' e * or decorations except with the approval of the Minister.
prrchase of military
dm.

offences. 5. (1) A person is guilty of an offence who -

(a) wears in a public place without authority the uniform
of the Antigua md Barbuda Defence Force;

(b) imports, sells or trades in military uniforms or
'camouflage uniforms';

(C) has in h s posskssion without authority articles of
clothing, material or decorations resembling those
used by or authorised by the Defence Force;

(d) uses or wears without authority any naval, military or
air force decorations, badge, wound stripe or emblem
supplied or authorised by the Defence Council;

(e) enters AntiguaandBarbudadressedinmilitary uniform
or camouflage uniform when not an enlisted person;

fl bring sinto AntiguaandBarbudaany military uniforms
or any of the patterned material commonly used for
W i g military uniforms;

(g) falselyrepresents himself tobe aperson who is entitled
to wear, use or sell any decoration, military uniforms,
badge, stripe or emblem used by the Antigua and
Barbuda Defence Force or other rmlitary force;

No. 13 of 1997. The Military Unifonns Act, 1997. 3 ANTIGUA
AND

BARBUDA

(2) Nothing in subsection (1) prevents any person firom wearing
any uniform or decoration in the course of a stage play performed
in a public place duly authorised for the public performance of stage
plays or circus performances.

6. (1) Any person who acquires any military stores or solicits or UnlawE~i1 purchase
procures any person to dispose of any military stores, or acts for any of military stom.
person in disposing military stores shall be guilty of an offence,
unless he proves either -

(a) that he did not know, and could not reasonably be
expected to know that the chattels in question were
military stores; or

(b) thatthosechattelshdbeen disposedofby order or with
the consent of some person or authoiity whom he had
reasonable cause to believe had the power to order or
consent to the disposal.

(2) For the purposes of this section -

"acquire" means buy, take in exchange, take in pawn or
otherwisereceive, whetherapart fmmthis sectionthemiving
is lawful or not;

"dispose" means sell, give in exchange, pledge or otherwise
hand over, whether apart from this section the handing over
is lawful or not:

"military stores"means chattels of any description belonging
to the Government, which has been issued for use for military
purposes, or is held in store for the purpose of beiig so issued
when required, and includes any chattel which had belonged
or had been issued or held at some time in the past by the
Government.

(3) Property shall be deemed to be in the possession of a person
if he has it under his control, whether he has it for his own use or
benefit or for the use or benefit of another person.

ANTIGUA 4 The Military Uniforms Act, 1997. No. 13 of 1997.
AND

BARBUDA

power of seizure by 7. (1) A policemanmay arrest without warrantanyperson whom
and he has reasonable grounds to suspect has c o m m i t . an offence

troller of cllstoms. under this Act and may seize any property that he has reasonable
grounds to suspect is the subject of the offence.

(2) It shall be lawful for the Comptroller of Customs to seize any
goods importedinto AntiguaandBarbuda which resemblesmilitary
uniforms and acmssories.

Minister to make 8. The Minister may, from time totime, make regulations for the
~egulation~. proper implementation and administration of this Act.

Penalty. 9. (1) Any person who is guilty of an offence under this Act is
liable on summary conviction to a fine of ten thousand dollars
($10,000) and to imprisonment for one (1) year.

(2) The Magistratemay, in addition to any fine or imprisonment
imposed on any person convictedof an offence under subsection (1)
forfeit goods, equipment and accessories related to the commission
of the offence.

%peal of cap 452. 10. The Unifonns Act is repealed.

Passed the House of Representatives this Passed the Senate this 20th
25th day of September, 1997. day of October, 1997.

B. Harris,
Speaker.

M. Percival,
President.

S. Walker, S. Walker,
Clerk to the House of Representatives. Clerk to the Senate.

Printed at the Government Printing Office, Antigua and Barbuda
by Rupert Charity, Government Printer

-By Authority, 1997.
800 - 12.97 [ Price $1.90 1