Jamaica relaxes curfew, maintains work from home order

SOURCE: CMC- The Jamaica government has announced the relaxation of the seven hour curfew and the mandatory work-from-home order for public sector workers will continue until year end, as the island moves to further curb the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that has killed 2, 411 and infected 91, 554 others since March last year.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness told Parliament on Tuesday that the curfew is being relaxed as the country prepares for the Christmas Season. He said the curfew will begin at 10.00 pm and end at 5.00 am (local time) as of Friday and will remain in force until Thursday, January 14, next year.

But he confirmed that the curfew will be further relaxed to accommodate Grand Market activities which are observed on Christmas Eve.  As a result, the curfew will commence at 1:00am on Christmas Day and 1:00am on New Year’s Day to also facilitate activities that take place on New Year’s Eve.

“How well we’re able to maintain these hours really depend on how people behave. It not our intention to, in any way, deprive persons of enjoying the spirit of Christmas, and enjoying the festivities of the season.

“I am of the view that the country has been under so much stress and so much pressure that people need to be able to enjoy the season responsibly…” Holness told legislators.

He said that it was incumbent on Jamaicans to appreciate that the threat of the COVID-19 virus is still real, especially with the emergence of the new omicron variant in South Africa in late November.

Holness also announced that the mandatory work-from-home order for public sector workers in place since last year, will come to an end on December 31.

“There has been a lot of concern about the loss of productivity that this measure is having. We need to get back to normal, but of course, to do so safely,” Holness said, adding “this is not to say that we’re abandoning work from home totally; it will be an option, but not a requirement”.

He said individual ministries, departments and agencies should assess their own circumstances and determine what is best for them, the goal being “to return to full productivity effective the first work day in January 2022.

“The public sector must get back to work at their work places,” he added.

Prime Minister Holness said the private sector normally follows the lead of the government in this regard and that his government is encouraging the private sector to do what is best for them.

He noted further that some private entities have indicated that it was time that they bring their staff back to the office.

The government also announced that the number of people allowed to attend a church service remains at 100, the same number permitted to attend a wedding and annual general meetings.

In addition, only 50 fully-vaccinated people can attend a function organised by any public sector entity and the maximum number of people allowed at funerals and burials remains at 20.