Travellers visiting a picturesque Caribbean Island have been warned they could be jailed if they are caught swearing in public.
St Kitts, a tiny island nestled in the West Indies, is a popular tourist destination for cruisers.
It is home to the Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Warner Park cricket stadium.
The island is home to around 34,000 people with tourism as one of the biggest drivers for its economy, with hundreds of thousands of people arriving each year.
But many tourists visiting the island will be unaware of the unusual anti-swearing laws.
In 1961, the island introduced a law that prohibited the use of any language that is abusive, blasphemous, indecent, insulting, profane, or threatening. Anyone caught using bad language can be fined $500 Caribbean Dollars – around £150 – or jailed for six months in severe cases.
YouTuber Jason, part of the Travel Scouts, warned: “St Kitt’s has a no profanity law. Profanity is banned, as is insulting and indecent language, and they have been known to enforce this with both jailtime and large fines.”
It’s not just tourists who need to be aware of the law either. In 2016 rapper 50 Cent fell foul of the no swearing rules after performing a concert on the island.
According to the BBC, the musician, whose real name is Curtis Jackson, was arrested after performing at a festival along with a member of his entourage. The star is said to have used “indecent language” while performing his song P.I.M.P.
After being released from custody he is said to have been fined £18,000. In a post on Instagram at the time, he wrote: “What you in for murder? All I said was n***** LMAO (laughing my ass off).
St Kitts and Nevis isn’t the only destination Jason warns has an unusual law travellers need to watch out for either. He says people visiting Grenada should be aware of the indecency laws when stripping down to their bathing suit.
He explained: “The St George’s port is visited by most cruise lines but you need to know about the indecent exposure law. According to this law you can wear swimsuits only on the beach.
“So if you’re in Grenada, make sure you cover up before you head back to the ship.”
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