Interpretation

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, “animal” means a living being, other than a human being, including mammals, fowls, birds, fish, amphibians and reptiles, whether wild, captive or domestic; “animal health assistant” means a person other than a veterinary surgeon who is registered as an animal health assistant under Part III; “Board” means the Veterinary Surgeons Board established under section 3 of this Act; ‘CARICOM Member State’ means a State which is a party to the Treaty of Chaguaramas establishing the Caribbean Community, including the CARICOM Single Market and Economy; “Council for Human and Social Development” means the body of the Caribbean Community empowered by Article 35 of the Treaty of Chaguaramas establishing the Caribbean Community, including the CARICOM Single Market and Economy to establish common standards and measures for 6 accreditation or mutual recognition of diplomas, certificates and other evidence of qualifications of nationals of CARICOM Member States; “Minister” means the Minister for the time being responsible for Veterinary Surgeons; “practice of veterinary medicine and surgery” includes, (a) diagnosing, treating, surgically operating, correcting, changing, relieving, or preventing animal disease, deformity, defect, injury or other physical or mental conditions including the prescribing or administration of any drug, medicine, biologicals, apparatus, applications, anaesthetic, or other therapeutic or diagnostic substance or technique and the using of any manual or mechanical procedure for artificial insemination or embryo transfer, testing for pregnancy, or for correcting sterility or infertility or rendering advice or recommendation with regard to any of the above with a view to obtaining a fee, salary, reward or other remuneration; (b) representing directly or indirectly, publicly or privately an ability and willingness to do an act described in paragraph (a); (c) using any title, words, abbreviations or letters in a manner or under circumstances which induces the belief that the person using them is qualified to do any act described in paragraph (a); (d) applying principles of environmental sanitation, food inspection, environmental pollution control, animal nutrition, zoonotic 7 disease control and disaster medicine in the promotion and protection of public health; “prescribed” means prescribed by regulations made under this Act; “qualification” means a degree, diploma, membership, fellowship, licence, certificate or other suitable status or document granted, after examination following a prescribed course of study in the fields of veterinary science in all its auspices at a recognized university, college, school, or institution or any other body acting under the authority of the government of any country or place, as prescribed under this Act. The preceding also applies to animal health assistants where the course of study in the field of veterinary science is prescribed for animal health assistants; “Register” means any of the Registers which are required to be kept under section 13 of this Act; “Registrar” means the Registrar General; “Regulations” means regulations made under this Act; “veterinary premises” means premises at which veterinary medicine and surgery is practiced and includes a veterinary centre, veterinary clinic and veterinary hospital; “veterinary specialist” means a veterinary surgeon registered under this Act as a veterinary specialist with respect to a veterinary specialty and whose name remains upon the Register of Veterinary Specialists with respect to such veterinary specialty; “veterinary surgeon” means a person registered as a veterinary surgeon under this Act and whose name remains upon the Register of Veterinary Surgeons; it includes the terms “veterinarian”, “veterinary practitioner”, “veterinary medical doctor”, “medico veterinario”, “medico veterinario 8 zootechnista”, “animal doctor”, and “vet” or any other abbreviation thereof; “veterinary surgery” includes veterinary medicine, obstetrics, dentistry and all other branches or specialties of veterinary science. Establishment, Constitution, etc., of Veterinary Surgeons Board