AG spells out Monday’s reopening

As several businesses reopen from Monday, Attorney General Dale Marshall issued a reminder Friday that Barbadians follow the COVID-19 protocols, as some raced to set up shop ahead of time.

In a national address during the latest live COVID-19 update, Marshall said that though Prime Minister Mia Mottley was clear on Thursday that several businesses were going to be allowed to resume on Monday, many Barbadians had incorrectly believed that the changes would have begun from this weekend.

The AG said: “Some Barbadians seem to believe that the measures she announced last night came into effect immediately…. The current directive under which we are operating ends on February 28th at midnight. So the current directive with all of its restrictions continues unabated until Sunday night. The measures announced by the Honourable Prime Minister takes effect from the 1st of March and will run for a two week period until the 14th of March.

“Because I think the Prime Minister said that shops will be allowed to open, some people believed that that was in reference to today and tomorrow and Sunday, and we’ve had numerous reports that Barbadians have opened shops. Now I am quite sure that the Prime Minister made it clear, but it is our duty as a government to try and reign things in before they get out of hand,” he explained.

Businesses allowed to function from Monday will include construction, agriculture, fishing and its markets, manufacturing, farming, and other jobs which are predominately conducted in open air settings. Office administrative offices along with other professional services will also be allowed to resume, however with limited staff on site. Gas stations will also be allowed to reopen their shops.

Hairdressers, barbers, boutiques and clothing stores will remain closed for the next few weeks but will continue to receive weekly cash assistance from the Ministry of Commerce. Although rum shops are allowed to be opened, no congregating of patrons will be allowed, according to Marshall.

The Attorney General said: “Bars are not allowed to open. Supermarkets, mini-marts, corner shops, village shops, rum shops, they will all be allowed to operate on a daily basis, but we wish to make it absolutely clear here, that in relation to rum shops, we will allow you to serve your customers, but the customers are going to have to collect their items and leave. So while you will be allowed to open, you will not have the opportunity to facilitate the kind of gregarious behaviour Barbadians are known for.

“In relation to the wayside vendors that we have, we are going to permit wayside vendors once more to operate, but I think the Prime Minister made it absolutely clear, that other than for coconut vendors, there will be no wayside vending on the hard shoulder of our ABC Highway.”

But Marshall said a minority of people have continued to “callously disregard” public safety by not adhering to the current restrictions.

He said: “I believe that the work of the COVID unit has been responsible for making it quite clear to Barbadians where the administration stands on the issue of breaching directives. I am satisfied that Barbadians have by and large been compliant. In instances, there have been some people who show a callous disregard for their own safety, and a callous disregard for the safety of the individuals with whom they come into contact, but that has been the very few Barbadians.”