All activities of the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club (GMR&SC) were suspended by the National COVID-19 Task Force on Sunday evening until further notice following a breach of agreement.
During round one of the Drag Race Championship on Sunday at the South Dakota Circuit, in excess of 3000 fans thronged the venue, a direct violation of the agreement between the Task Force and the club.
The club was granted conditional approval by the Task Force to host the event and it was agreed between the bodies that no more than 1,500 persons, inclusive of participants and spectators, would be permitted entry. However, that was not the case as thousands more than the agreed attendance, showed up and were permitted to enter the venue. According to Director of the Task Force, Colonel Nazrul Hussain, the GMR&SC was in breach of the agreement.
He noted that the event can be classified as a “super spreader” as “thousands of persons” were at the venue. With several pictures and videos circulating on social media, many persons wondered how could the club act so recklessly as to allow thousands of persons to throng venue during the ongoing pandemic.
Colonel Hussain said what transpired on Sunday was a “flagrant violation” of the COVID-19 measures, and the authorities have decided to immediately suspend all future activities of the club. Prior to the getting the final approval for Sunday’s activity, the Task Force had denied the club’s request on February 4. However, the club requested a review of the decision on February 18, asking for permission “for a scaled down activity.”
Conditional approval was subsequently granted, with the club mandated to honour the stipulations outlined above.
