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National Disaster Management Act (No. 5 of 1998)

This Act provides for the effective management and control of disasters and related or incidental matters in Saint Kitts and Nevis.

Active transparency (Sections 5(2) and 12)

The National Disaster Management Agency shall gather timely and authoritative information concerning the conditions in the quality of the environment, both current and prospective, as long as such conditions and trends relate to the likelihood of disasters and analyse and interpret such information.

The National Disaster Management Plan shall include procedures for informing the public in St. Kitts and Nevis and elsewhere of the existence of and state of affairs during a threatened disaster alert or the existence of a state of emergency. 

Rights:
Participation in plans, programmes and policies (Sections 19, 21, 22 and 23 and Second Schedule)

Specially vulnerable areas: Before approving the draft delimitation order the Prime Minister shall arrange for a public enquiry, at which enquiry the Agency shall present the draft Delimitation Order for discussion. The Agency shall, by notice in the Official Gazette and at least one newspaper published in Saint Christopher and Nevis, invite submissions from the public relating to the contents of a draft special area precautionary plan. The Agency shall allow a period of not less than four weeks and not more than eight weeks for the receipt by it of such submissions. From the date of the invitation of submissions from the public, the Agency shall, on written application by any person, permit access to any technical studies used in the preparation of the draft special area precautionary plan. After the public enquiry has been held, the Agency shall consider what, if any, revisions ought to be made in the draft special precautionary plan in light of the proceedings of the public enquiry, and resubmit the draft plan to the Prime Minister with such revisions, if any.

Right to appeal (Section 30)

Any person aggrieved by a special area precautionary plan for a specially vulnerable area, who desires to question the validity of the precautionary plan or of any provision contained therein on the grounds that it is not within the powers of this Act or that any requirement of this Act or of any Regulations has not been complied with in relation to the approval or preparation of the plan, may, within six weeks from the date on which the notice is published in the Official Gazette, make an application to the High Court under this section in accordance with any Rules of Court for the time being in force. 

Rights:
Environmental education (Section 5(2))

The Agency shall conduct programmes of public information and education on the mitigation of, preparedness for, response to, and recovery from emergencies and disasters.