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Revised Statute from The UK Statute Law Database

Kiribati Act 1979 (c.27)

This version of this statute is extracted from the UK Statute Law Database (SLD). It is not necessarily in the form in which it was originally enacted but is a revised version, which means that any subsequent amendments to the text and other effects are incorporated with annotations.

There are effects on this legislation that have not yet been applied to SLD for the following years: 2006 and 2009. See the Tables of Legislative effects and the Update status of legislation page on the SLD website.

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Kiribati Act 1979

1979 CHAPTER 27

An Act to make provision for and in connection with the attainment by the Gilbert Islands of fully responsible status as a Republic within the Commonwealth under the name of Kiribati

[19th June 1979]

1 Independence for Kiribati

(1)On and after 12th July 1979 (in this Act referred to as “Independence Day”) Her Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom shall have no responsibility for the government of Kiribati.

(2)No Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom passed on or after Independence Day shall extend, or be deemed to extend, to Kiribati as part of its law.

2 Power to provide for constitution of Kiribati as Republic

Her Majesty may by Order in Council (which shall be laid before Parliament after being made) make provision for the constitution of Kiribati as a Republic on Independence Day.

3 Operation of existing law

(1)Subject to the following provisions of this Act, all law to which this section applies, whether being a rule of law or a provision of an Act of Parliament or of any other enactment or instrument whatsoever, which is in force on Independence Day, or, having been passed or made before that day, comes into force thereafter, shall, unless and until provision to the contrary is made by Parliament or some other authority having power in that behalf, have the same operation in relation to Kiribati and persons and things belonging to or connected with Kiribati, as it would have had apart from this subsection if there had been no change in the status of Kiribati.

(2)This section applies to law of, or any part of, the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man and, in relation only to any enactment of the Parliament of the United Kingdom or any Order in Council made by virtue of any such enactment whereby any such enactment applies in relation to Kiribati, to law of any other country or territory to which that enactment or Order extends.

(3). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

(4)On and after Independence Day the provisons specified in the Schedule to this Act shall have effect subject to the amendments there specified.

(5)Subsection (4) above, and the Schedule to this Act, shall not extend to Kiribati as part of its law.

Annotations:

Amendments (Textual)

F1Ss. 3(3), 4, 5 repealed by British Nationality Act 1981 (c. 61, SIF 87), Sch. 9

4, 5. Consequential modifications of British Nationality Acts

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

Annotations:

Amendments (Textual)

F1Ss. 3(3), 4, 5 repealed by British Nationality Act 1981 (c. 61, SIF 87), Sch. 9

6 Appeals to the Privy Council

(1)Her Majesty may by Order in Council confer on the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council such jurisdiction and powers as may be appropriate in cases in which provision is made by the law of Kiribati for appeals to the Committee from courts of Kiribati.

(2)An Order in Council under this section may contain such incidental and supplemental provisions as appear to Her Majesty to be expedient.

(3). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

(4)Except so far as otherwise provided by or in accordance with an Order in Council under this section, and subject to such modifications as may be so provided, the M1Judicial Committee Act 1833 shall have effect in relation to appeals in respect of which jurisdiction is conferred under this section as it has effect in relation to appeals to Her Majesty in Council.

(5)An Order in Council under this section shall be laid before Parliament after being made.

Annotations:

Amendments (Textual)

F1S. 6(3) repealed by Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1986 (c. 12), s. 1(1), Sch. 1 Pt. I

Marginal Citations

M11833 c. 41.

7 Interpretation

(1)In this Act, and in any amendment made by this Act in any other enactment, “Kiribati” means the territories which immediately before Independence Day constitute the colony of the Gilbert Islands.

(2). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

Annotations:

Amendments (Textual)

F1S. 7(2) repealed by British Nationality Act 1981 (c. 61, SIF 87), Sch. 9

8 Short title

This Act may be cited as the Kiribati Act 1979.