04/03/2026
For Your Information:
Emergency Powers Regulations 2024 and 2026 – A Comparison
(Published as a public service in the context of public concerns about The effect of SoE Regulations on Citizens’ Constitutional Rights – Citizens Centre for Political Accountability)
2024 – Reg 4
4. (1) Until Orders made by the President under regulation 3 otherwise provide, the Commissioner of Police is hereby authorized to exercise the following powers:
(b) to impose on any person any restrictions in respect of his employment or business, in respect of his place of residence, and in respect of his association or communication with other persons;
2026 Reg 4
4. (1) Until Orders made by the President under regulation 3 otherwise provide, the Commissioner of Police is hereby authorised to exercise the following powers:
(b) to impose on any person any restrictions in respect of his employment or business, in respect of his place of residence, and in respect of his association or communication with other persons;
NO CHANGE
2024 Reg 12
Statements prejudicial to public order
12. No person shall– (a) endeavour, whether orally or otherwise, to influence public opinion in a manner likely to be prejudicial to public safety and order; or (b) do any act or have any article in his possession with a view to making or facilitating the making of any such endeavour.
2026 Reg 11
Statements prejudicial to public safety
11. No person shall– (a) endeavour, whether orally or otherwise, to influence public opinion in a manner likely to be prejudicial to public safety; or (b) do any act or have any article in his possession with a view to making or facilitating the making of any such endeavour.
CHANGE – “public order” removed – Only ‘prejudicial to public safety’ included in SoE Regs in the last and present SoE Regulations.
Based on a Constitutional challenge in the Court to the question of ‘prejudicial to public order’ on the basis that Public Order is vague and undefined in the Regulations and therefore threatens freedom of speech, the Cabinet, before the Court delivered its judgment, agreed to remove reference to ‘public order’ in this Regulation and any other in which it was included.
See Newsday article 11 February 2025 headlined – Cabinet to remove 'public order' from SoE regulations after legal challenge.
https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=e6f956bf0c1c675733a7d39f41926d54a86d1e0564cec21fbab456e8cf508efeJmltdHM9MTc3MjU4MjQwMA&ptn=3&ver=2&hsh=4&fclid=1eea9a29-cb6f-666e-1fba-8c98ca756763&psq=challenge+to+Reg+11+SoE+Regulations+2024&u=a1aHR0cHM6Ly9uZXdzZGF5LmNvLnR0LzIwMjUvMDIvMTEvY2FiaW5ldC10by1yZW1vdmUtcHVibGljLW9yZGVyLWZyb20tc29lLXJlZ3VsYXRpb25zLWFmdGVyLWxlZ2FsLWNoYWxsZW5nZS8
