Four to pay $1000 each for going mask-less

Insisting that “a strong message had to be sent” a Magistrate imposed heavy fines on four men who were caught not wearing masks while onboard public service vehicles (PSVs).

Chief Magistrate Ian Weekes handed down $1000 fines on each of them when they appeared in the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

PSV drivers Gerry Hurdle, Anthony Blackman and Shaquille Scott, along with passenger Gregory Clarke were all given 12 weeks to pay the monies after pleading guilty to the offences.

If they fail to pay the fine they will spend 30 days at HMP Dodds.

Hurdle, of Military Road, Bush Hall, St Michael admitted that on May 15, 2020, being the driver of ZR320, that he did contravene paragraph 7 of the Emergency Management (Covid-19) curfew (#4) by failing to wear a mask while driving along Bay Street, St Michael.

Blackman, of Fairview, Christ Church, the driver of B90, also pleaded guilty to the offence which he committed while driving along Constitution Road on June 6, 2020.

Scott, who resides at Upper Weston, St James, pleaded guilty to not wearing a mask on May 18, 2020, while driving ZR253 along Hastings Road, while  passenger, Clarke, of Apartment #1, Clapham, St Michael, was also guilty of committing the offence while onboard ZR167 on May 8, 2020.

Moments before imposing the hefty fines, Weekes said some people were not taking the safety measures seriously.

He said it was imperative that the court sends the message that such behaviour would not be tolerated and persons found to be guilty of such offences would not be given a “slap on the wrist”.