The government in St Kitts and Nevis on Monday (June 28) extended the state of emergency (SOE) by an additional six months.
Prime Minister Dr. Timothy Harris told Parliament that the SOE is a critical tool in the fight against the coronavirus (COVID19) pandemic.
“Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic last March, we have utilized this tool to help us control the virus. Emergency powers were utilized in the first instance in March 2020, for a period of 21 days which is the limit placed on the time span for which the Governor-General can promulgate a state of emergency without the approval of the Parliament,” Harris said as he moved his resolution to extend the SOE.
“Given the continuing community spread there is a need for the State of Emergency to be extended beyond July 06 as the COVID-19 pandemic still presents an existential threat to the lives and livelihoods in St Kitts and Nevis,” he added.
In addition, the government has announced a 24-hour lockdown as part of a group of additional measures being taken to limit the movement of people, in an effort to stem the spread of the virus.
The twin-island federation has recorded 429 cases of the virus and three deaths since the start of the pandemic in March last year.
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