Interpretation.

119.- (1) In this Constitution, unless the context otherwise requires-

“child”, in relation to any other person, means a person of whom that other person is a parent,

“citizen” means a citizen of Saint Christopher and Nevis and “citizenship” shall be construed accordingly;

“Commonwealth citizen” has such meaning as Parliament may prescribe;

“defence force” means a naval, military or air force;

“dollars” means dollars in the currency of Saint Christopher and Nevis;

“financial year” means any period of twelve months beginning on 1st January in any year or such other date as may be prescribed by any law enacted by Parliament;

“the Gazette” means the official Gazette of Saint Christopher and Nevis;

“the Government” means Her Majesty’s Government of Saint Christopher and Nevis;

“grandparent”, in relation to any other person, means a parent of one of his parents;

“law” means any law in force in Saint Christopher and Nevis or any part thereof, including any instrument having the force of law and any unwritten rules of law and “lawful” and “lawfully” shall be construed accordingly;

“Leader of the Opposition” means the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly;

“legal practitioner” means a person entitled to be in or to enter Saint Christopher and Nevis and entitled to practice as a barrister in Saint Christopher and Nevis or, except in relation to proceedings before a court in which a solicitor has no right of audience, so entitled to practice as a solicitor;

“the legislature” means Parliament;

Provided that in relation to any specified matter it includes the Nevis Island Legislature;

“Minister” means a Minister of the Government;

“parent”, in relation to any other person, includes-

a) any person who has adopted him in a manner recognized by law, and

b) in the case of a person born out of wedlock and not legitimated, his mother and the person (if any) who acknowledges and can show that he is his father or has been found by a court of competent jurisdiction to be his father.

but, in the case of a person who has been adopted, it does not include any person who has relinquished his parental rights over him as a consequence of the adoption.

“Parliament” means the Parliament of Saint Christopher and Nevis;

“oath” includes affirmation;

“oath of allegiance” means, the oath of secrecy set out in schedule 4;

“oath of office” means, in relation to any office, the oath for the due execution of that office set out in schedule 4;

“oath of secrecy” means the oath of secrecy set out in schedule 4;

“the Police Force” means the Royal Saint Christopher and Nevis Police Force and includes any other police force established to succeed to the functions of that Force;

“proclamation” means a proclamation published in the Gazette or, if such publications not reasonably practicable, published in Saint Christopher and Nevis by such means as are reasonably practicable and effective;

“public office” means any office of emolument in the public service;

“public officer” means a person holding or acting in any public office;

“the public service” means, subject to the provisions of this section, the service in a civil capacity of the Crown in right of the Government,

“session” means-

a) in relation to the National Assembly, the period beginning when it first meets after Parliament has at any time been prorogue or dissolved and ending when Parliament is prorogued or when Parliament is dissolved without having been prorogued,

b) in relation to the Nevis Island Assembly, the period beginning when it first meets after the Nevis Island Legislature has at any time been prorogued or dissolved and ending when that Legislature is prorogued or when that Legislature is dissolved without having been prorogued;

“sitting” means-

a) in relation to the National Assembly, the period during which it is sitting continuously without adjournment and includes any period during which it is in committee;

b) in relation to the Nevis Island Assembly, the period during which it is sitting continuously without adjournment and includes any period during which it is in committee;

“Speaker” and “Deputy Speaker” means the respective persons holding office as Speaker and Deputy Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly;

“specified matter” means, in relation to the government of the island of Nevis, a matter specified in schedule 5 to this Constitution.

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