The Amendment Act was assented to on 17th July 2021. It amends the Quarantine Act by adding in a fourth subsection to Section 4 of the Act to provide that any contravention of the Quarantine Act will constitute an offence punishable on summary conviction to a fine of $250,000.00 and to imprisonment for 6 months.
Section 7(1) and 7(2) of the Quarantine Act, which sets out fines for certain offences, was amended to include increased fines from $6,000.00 and 6 months imprisonment to $350,000.00 and 1 year imprisonment.
Some of these offences include:
-Refusing to answer or knowingly giving an untrue answer to any inquiry made under the authority of the Quarantine Act reasonably required by an officer or withholding information or furnishing false information to such authorities;
- Refusing or wilfully omitting to do any act which he is required to do by this Act, or refuses or wilfully omits to carry out any lawful order, instruction or condition made, given or imposed by any officer or other person acting under the authority of the Act and
-Assaulting, resisting, wilfully obstructing or intimidating any officer or other person acting under the authority of this Act, or offers or gives a bribe to any officer or person in connection with his powers or duties under this Act, or being such officer or person, demanding, soliciting or taking a bribe in connection with his powers or duties under this Act, or otherwise obstructing the execution of this Act