Despite the government’s institution of a partial countrywide lockdown and a curfew in response to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), some citizens were still slow in fully complying with the emergency measures yesterday.
To slow the spread of COVID-19, which up to the end of last week had claimed four lives, the government on Friday announced emergency measures, including a 6 am to 6 pm curfew and a restriction on services, except for those deemed essential, and social activities.
Following the announcement, which was brought on by citizens continuously ignoring precautionary measures put in place, checks by Sunday Stabroek on Friday night and yesterday morning revealed that some citizens were slow in adhering to the new restrictions.
During a drive around Georgetown just after 9 on Friday night, this newspaper observed a few bars, including popular Station Street, Kitty nightspot Seeta’s, were open despite the City Council’s previously announced curfew and the subsequent lockdown curfew announced last evening by government.
At Seeta’s Bar and Roopa’s Bar, both on Station Street, persons were observed drinking. The King Fish bar on Lamaha Street was also open although there was no patron present when this newspaper visited. A few persons were seen standing at the entrance to the Magic City Club on Garnett Street.
Popular nightspots, such as Palm Court on Main Street, Sweet Point at Bourda Street, Frenzy’s in Alberttown and Red Bar on Garnett Street, were closed.
Throughout the drive around the city, Stabroek News did not observe any police patrol out to enforce the measures put in place.
The protocol for physical distancing did not appear to be strictly adhered to yesterday.
At Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara yesterday morning, Sunday Stabroek was informed that more than ten persons had gathered for a church service. Following the hours-long service, this newspaper was informed that the worshippers left in a minibus and were not abiding with the social distancing precaution. Additionally, they were not acting in accordance with the announced domestic travel measure, which restricts persons providing transport from carrying more than half the number of passengers which the motor vehicle, vessel or aircraft is licensed to carry. The operators and passengers of any motor vehicle, vessel or aircraft shall are now also required to have personal protective equipment.
Many buses were, however, seen operating with far less passengers than normal yesterday.
At the Mon Repos Market, shoppers were seen flocking to stalls and being less than the advised six feet apart from one another. During the morning hours, when most shoppers were out, persons were seen surrounding stalls and standing far too close to each other. Many vented their distress about the crowds on social media. However, as the day continued, the crowds got smaller until there were few to no shoppers at the East coast Market.
Some persons were also seen waiting in lines at supermarkets as they tried to get all their last minute shopping done. At DSL, Survival and Bounty outlets in Georgetown, persons were advised to wash their hands before joining a line as they waited for their turns to shop.
At Bounty, the shoppers were being managed by workers who restricted how many persons were allowed in the supermarket at any one time.
One Bounty employee told Sunday Stabroek that persons were allowed to enter based on the number of persons already shopping inside. The employee said that this method was effective for maintaining physical distancing while avoiding the usual crowds in the supermarket. However, the employee shared her concern about the shoppers whom she said did not maintain the distance apart. Gesturing to the persons waiting in line at the Bounty Supermarket located at Pike Street, Kitty, the employee said “We keep telling them to practice social distancing in the line but they aren’t adhering to what we say”, she said. “…These are adults I am talking to and look, they still standing close to one another,” she complained.
Other employees agreed that persons were only remembering the precautions after being told and even then, some refused to follow.
Another measure called for fast food services and restaurants to be open only for delivery, drive thru and take away services. Places that complied included Pollo Tropical, Church’s, KFC and Pizza Hut, which had their customers order before going for pick up or having the food delivered to them. Also, these fast food places were not allowing persons to enter their establishments.
Prior to the measure, some fast food services had already been using distance markers to keep customers at least six feet apart.
But while some of the measures were being observed, Sunday Stabroek noticed that there were no law enforcers in the streets to ensure enforcement, even after Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, Chairman of the National COVID-19 Task Force (NCTF) told reporters that the measures outlined by the Ministry of Public Health on Friday night have to be enforced by the police.
‘Consequences’
“I am hoping from tonight…I know this is the instructions. Vice-President Khemraj Ramjattan has a task of his police ranks going out with bullhorns, appealing to people to go home if they are in clusters and, of course, if it becomes necessary to go into the bars… if they got to pull them out of the bars by them ears, I will say yes, get them out, send them home and that’s the way to go,” Nagamootoo said during a virtual media conference.
He noted that persons who fail to comply with the measures will face consequences. “If they are not maintaining this order, this is a law…..and those who are violating the law, they will have to suffer for the violation of the law,” Nagamootoo said.
However, he added that while imprisonment is not being considered for offenders at this point, law enforcers will have to find a “creative” way to deal with them.
Nagamootoo further related that business owners who fail to abide with the measures can also have their licences revoked and face sanctions.
“…So businesses that are violating the curfew, they have to, part of the enforcement would be the question of revocation of the licence… You are violating the order made, authorised under the hands of the President and in this emergency situation and place persons at risk, the proprietors as well and the patrons particularly…,” he explained.
Sunday Stabroek also reached out to the head of two of the policing divisions on their plans to enforce the emergency measures.
Assistant Commissioner Simon McBean, Commander of Region Three, said that his ranks will be working along with the regional authorities to ensure that the measures are being followed.
The first arm of response, McBean said, would be to ensure that persons living in the various divisions throughout the division (which covers the West Coast of Demerara and West Bank of Demerara) are sensitised about the disease. “Ranks will be going around. “Those who are not in full compliance, we will go around, talk to them, ensure that they understand what’s going on and what is required of them,” he said.
He explained that while there will be an increase in the number of patrols, there will be a decrease in the number of ranks designated per a patrol. These ranks will also be dressed in protective wear, he noted.
“What we are doing is that we have increased in the number of vehicles but we decrease the number of persons per a patrol….. At least for now, each vehicle that goes out, one person will be fully prepared to have fully dressed with the suits and all the necessary. The others will have their masks and their gloves,’ McBean said.
He added that one can expect to see a minimum of two or three ranks per a patrol.
According to McBean, ranks have been briefed in terms of their personal protection and how to deal with the public.
As of yesterday morning, he said the division had not recorded any breaches. “So far we had full compliance, we had no issues of non-compliance,” McBean noted.
Meanwhile, Commander of Region Six Calvin Brutus said that his division will be following all the required guidelines and conducting continuous monitoring to ensure that persons are in compliance with the measures. “We are following all the guidelines that we are supposed to be following…we just have to follow up and monitor to ensure that people comply,” Brutus said.
