The proprietor of the Altitude Cocktail Bar and Grill, as well as staff and bar-goers were yesterday fined for breaching the nation-wide curfew while one accused was granted bail.
Altitude owner, Meer Rahaman, Kalvin Ramkellawhan, 18, who owns a hookah business at the bar, Nickel Thomas, 23, a bartender; Tiffany Ross, 32, employed at the Guyana Post Office and Altitude bar; Fiona Samuels, 28, also an employee at Altitude bar; and bar-goers, Joy Craigan, 19; and Johanna Craigan, 18, all appeared at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court where Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan read the charges to them.
It is alleged that on March 13 and April 4 at Sandy Babb Street, Kitty, Georgetown, Rahaman hosted a private party. The other six persons were charged with attending a private party at Sandy Babb Street, Kitty, Georgetown, on March 13.
Rahaman, Ramkellawhan, Thomas, Ross, and both Joy and Johanna Craigan, pleaded guilty to the charge. They explained to the court that the bar was closed and they were leaving when the police arrived and subsequently arrested them. Joy and Johanna also apologised to the court stating that they are aware that they were wrong for attending their friend’s birthday party which was being held at the bar.
They were all fined $16,350 each or in default one month behind bars. However, Samuels denied the charge and was granted $5,000 bail. She was advised to make her next court appearance on April 21.
The police prosecutor told the court that on the days in question, ranks from the Guyana Police Force and the National COVID-19 Task Force were on lockdown duties when they visited the bar after the curfew started. They observed the persons listed as being in breach of the COVID-19 curfew and informed them of the offence.
Stabroek News had previously reported that on March 13, thirty-five persons including the proprietors of several bars were detained by police after they were found in breach of the COVID-19 curfew by members of the National COVID Task Force. According to a GPF release, ranks from the Task Force conducted an operation in Region 4(a) and the persons were detained after allegedly breaching several of the National COVID-19 measures.
