Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2024, published 113rd ILC session (2025)

Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29) - Saint Kitts and Nevis (Ratification: 2000)

Article 2(2)(c) of the Convention. Work exacted as a consequence of a conviction in a court of law. For a number of years, the Committee has observed that pursuant to section 193(1) of the Prison Act (Cap 19.08), prisoners are under the obligation to undertake useful work and, according to section 193(5), no prisoner shall, except in pursuance of special rules, be employed for the private benefit of any person. The Committee noted the Government’s indication that work done by prisoners for private parties included chopping down large trees, painting schools, cleaning yards and hanging street banners, and requested the Government to review the Prison Act to ensure that prisoners only undertake work or service for private persons or entities on a voluntary basis.

The Committee once again notes that the Government, in its report, continues to refer to the revision of the legislation by the National Tripartite Committee and observes the lack of progress made in this regard. The Committee requests the Government to indicate whether special rules have been adopted to authorize employment of convicted persons for the benefit of persons or private entities and if so the number of convicted persons authorized, the type of work performed and the nature of the beneficiaries of such work. The Committee urges the Government to review section 193(5) of the Prison Act (Cap 19.08), either by removing the possibility of adopting special rules for the employment of convicted persons by private entities, or by ensuring that any work or service performed by convicted prisoners for private persons is voluntary, which requires the formal, freely given and informed consent of the prisoners concerned.

The Committee is raising other issues in a request addressed directly to the Government.