THE Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) on Tuesday released details of the regulations, which will be in place during the current State of Emergency imposed on Kingston and St, Andrew since Sunday. Below are the rules.

"The regulations will vest in the Competent Authority* the power to:

* Prevent any person or persons from occupying any structure or building or blocking access to any structure or building; or interfering with any road or path.

* Divert any road or cordon any area, place or premises to prohibit or otherwise regulate access to such places.

* Establish cordons, road blocks and curfews around any area, place or premises.

* Direct persons and persons in charge of vehicles to move them to some other point in a 10-mile radius.

The regulations will allow the Competent Authority to:

* Have right of access to do work on land which is required for the preservation of peace or to regulate the supply and distribution of water, fuel, electricity, transportation and other necessities (the statutory purpose).

* Take over, on the order of the governor general, any premises or facility which provides essential services as defined in the Regulations.

* Prevent trespassing on public premises and essential services.

* Protect public roads .

* Give notice to requisition essential services.

* Take possession of premises (not including cash and securities.)

* Require persons to hand over articles or information in their possession or hand over persons who are deemed to have information or articles in their possession.

* Restrict publication of undesirable matter which may be prejudicial to the public interest or which may incite persons to commit a breach of the peace.

* Prohibit the assembling of persons.

* Prohibit the carrying of a firearm or other lethal weapon.

* Impose curfews and require persons to stay indoors and not to leave without the required permit.

* Restrict access to certain areas or

* Restrict certain persons who are suspected of acting prejudicial to the public safety.

* Prohibit the wearing of uniforms and emblems except for those engaged in lawful industrial action.

* Search premises or vehicles where persons are suspected or are likely to endanger public safety.

* Stop and search vehicles suspected of being used in a manner prejudicial to public safety.

* Question and obligate persons to answer questions to the best of their ability.

* Arrest and detain persons whose behaviour gives reasonable grounds for suspecting that he is acting in a manner prejudicial to public safety or has committed an offence against the Regulations. (Such persons to be detained up to a period not exceeding 24 hours and power to detain for a further five days on the authority of a Resident Magistrate or a police officer not below the rank of Deputy Superintendent).

* Search persons and seize any article which is suspected or intended to be used in a manner prejudicial to public order and/or public safety.

* Confine persons to residences on the authority of the Minister of National Security to prevent such persons from acting in a manner prejudicial to public safety.

The regulations give power to:

* The minister of national security to issue detention orders to exercise control over persons, conditionally or unconditionally.

* Prohibit the use of firearms and ammunition conditionally or unconditionally.

* Control places of public resort and entertainment which are specified in an order.

* Establish a Review Tribunal to examine cases of persons in detention by the minister or those who are the subject of restricted access. The Chief Justice is to appoint the Chairman of the Tribunal and the two other members are to be appointed by the Governor General.

* Restrict the grant of bail for persons who contravene or fail to comply with provisions of the Regulations and where it is believed that such persons would be likely to commit a similar offence against the Regulation.

* Deal with compensation for the use of property and equipment during the period of state of emergency.

While exercising such powers, the Competent Authority shall inform the public by the best available communication devices.

Any unauthorised person who enters or departs said roads, areas, places or premises, commits an offence under the Regulations and may be placed before the court for punishment in respect of such infringement (authorisation can be written or oral).

*The Competent Authority could be either:

The governor general, the minister of national security, the chief of staff of the Jamaica Defence Force, the commissioner of police, the deputy commissioner of police or the senior Office of Police in the parish of Kingston and St Andrew."