Civil Code (Amendment) (No. 2) Act, 1989 (No. 13 of 1989) , 28 December 1989
Annual Review of Population Law 16: 74
1989
ISSN/ISBN: 0364-3417 PMID: 12344527 Document Number: 378371
This Act amends various provisions of the Saint Lucia Civil Code to equalize the status of men and women. Among other things it provides 1) that husband and wife owe mutual protection to each other, rather than the husband owes protection to his wife and the wife owes obedience to her husband; 2) that the spouses shall live wherever they both agree to reside, rather than the wife is obligated to live with and follow her husband; 3) that both spouses are bound to supply each other with the necessities of life according to his or her means, rather than the husband is bound to supply the wife with the necessities of life according to his means and condition; 4) that, if an action for separation is dismissed, the parties are not obliged to resume cohabitation, rather than the husband is obliged to take back his wife and the wife is obliged to return; 5) that a married woman can become a guardian in all circumstances, rather than only if appointed jointly with her husband; 6) that a wife who has been appointed a guardian will continue to be a guardian if she remarries, rather than lose that ability; 7) that spouses shall together administer community property, rather than the husband shall administer it; and 8) that a wife who renounces the community will be responsible for debts to which she bound herself jointly and severally with her husband, rather than being freed from them.