Small Charges (Amendment) Act, 2001 (No. 4 of 2001)

SMALL CHARGES (AMENDMENT) COMMON\VEALTH OF DOMINICA VERNON L. SHAW President AN ACT TO AMEND THE SMALL CHARGES ACT, CHAP. 10:39. BE IT ENACTED by the Parliament of the Commonwealth of Dominica as follows: 2. The Small Charges Act is amended by inserting after section 10 thereof the following new sections as sections lOA and lOB: "Prohibition 10A.(I) of harassment. Subject to subsection (2), no person shall, at any time harass another person in any public place. Insertion of new sections lOA & lOB in Chap. 10:39. SMALL CHARGES (AMENDMENT) (2) It shall be a defence to a charge under sub-section (1) for the person charged to prove that he had lawful authority or excuse to engage in any aspect of that conduct described or defined in subsection (4). (3) A person who harasses another person contrary to subsection (1) is liable to a fine of one thousand dollars or to impris onment for six months. (4) For the purpose of this section "harass"means to molest, trou ble, threaten, worry, accost, jeer, insult, persistently beg or fol low about any person, in a pub lic place and "harassing" and "harassed" shall be construed accordingly. lOB. A police officer may charge or, without a warrant, arrest or both charge and arrest any person whom he sees harassing or whom he reasonably suspects to be harassing or to have harassed another person.". 3. This Act shall come into force on such day as the Minister may, by Order published in the Gazette, appoint. Power, Charge and arrest. ALEX F. PHILLIP (MRS.) Clerk of the House of Assembly DOMINICA Printed by the Goverment Printer at the Government Printery, Roseau (Price 40 cents)