(CNS): The Ministry of Health has begun a new round of public consultations on the revised Public Health Bill and the Environmental Health Bill. These two pieces of legislation were withdrawn from the last meeting of parliament due to the significant feedback received during the original period of consultation.
Since then, new bills have been drafted and published, and are now available for comment. Ministry officials said members of the public are invited to review the changes and provide feedback by Monday, 16 November. They are also invited to a series of public meetings, the first of which takes place in West Bay this Thursday evening.
The NCFC Government intends to bring both of these revised bills to parliament during the November meeting. The redrafted Public Health Bill adds safeguards to the scope of notifiable diseases, limits certain powers of entry, and clarifies inspection powers.
It also refines requirements for managing risks of harm in community settings, and clarifies how a public health incident of national threat may be declared, including advice provided to Cabinet.
Other changes include the power to issue public advisory notices, strengthen health surveillance and enforcement, provide a general right of appeal, and allow greater flexibility in emergency staffing. The bill also clarifies that published national statistics will use anonymised, aggregate data.
The revised Environmental Health Bill now includes a dedicated section on monitoring and regulating water from sources, including piped supplies, wells, boreholes, cisterns, rainwater systems, desalination plants, water trucks, and bottled water. It also creates offences related to contaminated drinking water, and strengthens safeguards for entry to residential properties.
In general, entry requires 24 hours’ written notice and the occupier’s consent or a magistrate’s warrant. It sets out exceptions for emergencies involving imminent danger to life, a serious public health risk, or the need for immediate action.
The revisions also introduce temporary closure orders. The director may close premises for up to 14 days where an immediate and serious health risk cannot be adequately addressed by other measures. If the risk continues, an application may be made to the Grand Court for a closure order.
See the revised bills and consultation surveys at publicconsultation.gov.ky.
Feedback can also be submitted at the following district information sessions:
| West Bay | Thursday, 29 October | 6:00pm to 7:30pm | John Gray Memorial Hall |
| George Town | Friday, 30 October | 6:00pm to 7:30pm | Lucille Seymour Seniors’ Centre, Central Scranton Park |
| East End | Thursday, 5 November | 6:00pm to 7:30pm | Poinciana Rehabilitation Centre |
| Bodden Town | Friday, 6 November | 6:00pm to 7:30pm | Church of God Chapel |
| North Side | Thursday, 12 November | 6:00pm to 7:30pm | North Side Civic Centre |
| Cayman Brac | Friday, 13 November | 6:00pm to 7:30pm | Brac Reef Resort |