Ministers.

52.- (1) There shall be a Prime Minister of Saint Christopher and Nevis who shall be appointed by the Governor-General.

(2) Whenever the Governor-General has occasion to appoint a Prime Minister he shall appoint a representative who appears to him likely to command the support of the majority of the Representatives.

(3) There shall be, in addition to the office of Prime Minister, an office of Deputy Prime Minister and such other offices of Minister of the Government as may be established by Parliament, or, subject to the provisions of any law enacted by Parliament by the Governor-General, acting in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister.

(4) Appointments to the office of Minister, other than the office of Prime Minister, shall be made by the Governor-General, acting in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister, from among the members of the National Assembly.

(5) If occasion arises for making an appointment to the office of Prime Minister or any other Minister while Parliament is dissolved, then, notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (2) and (4), a person who was a Representative immediately before the dissolution may be appointed as Prime Minister and a Person who was a Representative or a Senator immediately before the dissolution may be appointed as any Minister other than Prime Minister.

(6) The Governor-General shall remove the Prime Minister from office if a resolution of no confidence in the Government is passed by the National Assembly and the Prime Minister does not within three days either resign from his office or advice the Governor-General to dissolve Parliament.

(7) If, at any time between the holding of a general election of Representatives and the first meeting of the National Assembly thereafter, the Governor-General considers that in consequence of changes in the membership of the Assembly resulting from that election the Prime Minister will not be able to command the support of the majority of the representatives, the Governor-General may remove the Prime Minister from office.

(8) The office of any Minister shall become vacant-

a) if the holder of the office ceases to be a member of the National Assembly otherwise than by reason of the dissolution of Parliament;

b) in the case of the Prime Minister, if, when the Assembly first meet after any dissolution of Parliament, he is not then a Representative;

c) in the case of any other Minister, if, when the Assembly first meets after any dissolution of Parliament, he is not then a Representative or a Senator; or

d) if, by virtue of section 31(4), he is required to cease to perform his functions as a member of the Assembly.

(9) The office of a Minister other than the Prime Minister shall become vacant-

a) if the Governor-General, acting in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister, so directs;

b) if the Prime Minister resigns from office within three days after a resolution of no confidence in the Government has been passed by the National Assembly or is removed from office under subsection (6) or (7); or

c) on the appointment of any person to the office of Prime Minister.

(10) In the exercise of the powers conferred upon him by subsections (2) and (7) the Governor-General shall act in his own deliberate judgment.

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