“It costs Police more to prosecute COVID guidelines violators when compared to imposed fines” – Region 8 Commander

“Violators of COVID-19 guidelines, especially for not wearing masks in the mountainous areas, cost the Guyana Police Force more to bring them to Mahdia to appear in court compared to fines attached to the charge.”
These were the sentiments of Regional Commander, Senior Superintendent Michael Kingston, who added that the public will have to be constantly educated about the safety of wearing masks and the dangers of the deadly disease.
“In the North Pakariamas, we continue to share masks and plead with them to have it on…because it wouldn’t work out financially,” the Commander stated.
The official was at the time a guest on the Guyana Police Force’s weekly Police & You radio programme.

Kingston nevertheless added, that “Court is being held in every quarter in Mahdia and most times when you put persons on bail, you don’t see them again…you see Mahdia is a mining district so most of the times when you arrest persons and they’re being placed on bail they don’t return for court”.
He further pointed out that even though the Police face challenges in having persons adhere to the guidelines set out by the Government of Guyana in the COVID-19 Emergency Measures (No 20), they continue to educate persons.
He added that persons in the outlining areas belief that COVID does not exist and there are some who are bent on using their own remedies to fight the virus.
Earlier this year, His Excellency Dr Irfaan Ali spoke of the inadequacies of the fines while imploring the Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, to revisit to have amendments which speak to toughening the penalties for those persons caught breaching the measures.
Currently, the fines for COVID-19 breaches range between $5000 and $16,000.
The Guyana Police Force has charged a number of persons for these breaches so far.
Additionally, President Ali had disclosed that the Government would be shifting its focus from prosecuting citizens who partake in social gatherings which breach the COVID-19 guidelines to now prosecuting the owners of those social venues.
In addition, he had engaged Prime Minister Mark Phillips, who is heading the National COVID-19 Taskforce, to discuss this issue.
Therefore, if the owners and managers allow breaches at their facilities, they will be charged to the full extent of the law.
In fact, a series of enforcement exercises has already seen several managers and owners of popular bars and night spots in Georgetown being charged and fined.