M&CC buckles, limits public gatherings to 5 persons

…public places, markets to be closed

Buckling under pressure, the Georgetown Mayor and City Council has announced the closure of public facilities and mandated that gatherings should be limited to just a few persons amid the spread of the deadly COVID-19 virus.

In a press release, the Council has stated that with the exception of the City Constabulary or stakeholders engaged in essential services, no more than five persons would be allowed at once in public gatherings.
Apart from essential services, gymnasiums, movie theatres, libraries, play parks and other recreational facilities are to be closed until indicated otherwise.
Bars and restaurants are to be closed, except between 06:00h and 18:00h. Except for take-out delivery services, dining or cluster of patrons at public restaurants and bars is prohibited.
Meanwhile, hotels are to remain open, but are required to close other supplementary services, such as pools, spas, gyms, tennis courts, and other recreational facilities where there is a cluster of persons.
“The Council wishes to implore persons to refrain from congregating in public places, for all public and private offices to operate for no more than four “hours daily, limit your presence at banks and other institutions, unless the transactions are absolutely necessary; and continue to practise social distancing,” the Council has said.
For more clarity, a list has been provided of all services considered essential during this time. These can remain open, and professionals falling into these mentioned brackets can continue to perform their duties: Caregivers such as nurses and home helpers; persons involved in collection, storage, purification and distribution of water for public use; hospitals, clinics and pharmacies; media and broadcasting services; medical and paramedical professionals. Others include those individuals responsible for the handling or burial of deceased persons, or disposal of dead animals; disposal of sewage; garbage or refuse; security services (private); emergency first responders, the Joint Services; staff of pharmaceutical agencies; telecommunications providers; transport services and waterfront workers; supermarkets and gas stations.
Meanwhile, a notice seen by this publication indicated that with effect from Saturday, April 4, all markets will be closed until further notice. This includes street vending, farmers, night sellers, snackettes and other categories of vendors.
Farmers will be permitted to ply their trade at the Stabroek and Bourda Markets on Friday from 07:00h to 13:00h. At the Stabroek Market, this provision will be opened west of the Guyana Fire Service; and over at Bourda, it will be at the Merriman Mall between Orange Walk and Light Street.
No street selling is allowed on Sunday at the Albouystown Market.
This announcement comes just a few days after Mayor Ubraj Narine said he would not institute a total lockdown of the capital city. Defending his decision not to implement curfews or other lockdown initiatives, he had said that the city cannot be operated as if its light switch is suddenly turned off.
There has been one confirmed case of the coronavirus in Region One (Barina-Waini), six in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), and one in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne). Mayor Narine has said he will work along with stakeholders on the way forward.
“The city is not a lightbulb, where you can flick a switch and lock it down like that. We will not lock down the city, we will work closely with the Ministry of Health and other stakeholders, including the Private Sector Commission, the Chamber of Commerce, the Commercial Banks and all other organisation,” he asserted during a press conference at City Hall on Monday.
The Mayors of New Amsterdam, Linden and Bartica have each already instituted a curfew on businesses under Subsection 31 D of the Municipal and District Councils Act, which empowers them under the provisions of the Public Health Ordinance (d) to establish, erect, maintain, let, control and manage markets and market buildings, shops, stalls and stands to control the occupation thereof.