Gazette January 6 2021 Part A and Directive

Jan 6, 2021 | Covid-19 Directives and Protocols, Part A

Emergency Management (COVID-19) Protocol (Special Curfew) (No. 2) Directive, 2021.

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Printed and Published by

the Barbados Government Printing Department

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT (COVID-19) PROTOCOL (SPECIAL CURFEW) (NO. 2) DIRECTIVE, 2021

WHEREAS by paragraph 15 of the Emergency Management (COVID-19) (No. 3) Order, 2020 (S.I. 2020 No. 71) it is provided that the Prime Minister on the advice of the Chief Medical Officer may issue a directive requiring every person to observe such physical distancing and associated protocols in the interest of public health as may be specified;

AND WHEREAS a public health emergency exists in Barbados;

NOW THEREFORE by virtue of the power and the authority in me vested and on the advice of the Chief Medical Officer aforesaid I do hereby issue the following Directive for the period from the 6th day of January, 2021 to the 14th day of January, 2021.

  1. (1) A curfew is hereby imposed throughout Barbados everyday between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. from the 6th day of January, 2021 to the 14th day of January, 2021.
    1. This Directive shall be read and construed as one with the Emergency Management (Covid-19) Protocol (No. 4) Directive, 2020, hereinafter referred to as the principal Directive, subject to any provision in this Directive that derogates from the principal Directive, in which case, to the extent of the derogation, this Directive shall take precedence over the principal Directive.
    2. No person shall leave his home between 9:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. as specified in sub-paragraph (1), except
      1. he is an employee or member of an essential service; or
      2. the person has an emergency.
    3. Every employee or member of an essential service shall have on his person at all times, evidence of his employment or membership, as the case may be, of such a service.
    4. The Attorney-General may on request, made to him through www.gov.bb, grant an exemption to any person or business affected by paragraph 1(3).
  2. The owner or operator of a business establishment shall
    1. ensure that there is strict compliance with the physical distancing protocols by staff and customers;
    2. provide hand sanitizing stations for staff and customers;
    3. restrict the number of persons within and outside the establishment at any one time in order to ensure that a distance of at least 6 feet is maintained between every person;
    4. ensure that persons do not assemble otherwise than for the purpose of transacting business; and
    5. follow such other protocols that may be established by the Chief Medical Officer and the Covid-19 Monitoring Protocol Unit, in this Directive referred to as the “Unit”.
  3. During the curfew period specified in paragraph 1(1) the following businesses may remain open
    1. fuel manufacturers, fuel storage facilities and fuel distributors and other manufacturing companies;
    2. gasoline stations; and
    3. hotels, villas and other rental accommodation.
  4. (1) Places of religious worship shall be opened only
    1. for religious services at which no more than 10 persons shall be present for the streaming or conduct of such services;
    2. for the conduct of funeral services which, subject to sub-paragraph (2), shall be attended by no more than 20 mourners, no more than 5 officiants and the funeral director and necessary staff; and
    3. for the conduct of wedding ceremonies, which shall be attended by the bride and bridegroom, 2 witnesses, the marriage officer, no more than 3 officiants and no more than 15 guests.
    1. Any person in charge of a funeral who wishes to have more than 20 mourners present at the service shall first obtain the permission of the Unit which, in exercise of its discretion, may, subject to sub-paragraph (3), grant permission in exceptional circumstances to exceed 20 mourners.
    2. Where the Unit grants permission pursuant to sub-paragraph
    (2) to exceed 20 mourners, the Unit shall assign a member thereof to attend the funeral service in order to ensure that all protocols are complied with.
  5. No person shall host or attend
    1. a party;
    2. a recreational or competitive sporting event;
    3. a banquet, ball, dance or reception;
    4. a meeting of a fraternal society, private or social club or civic association or organization;
    5. the social event known as
      1. “a bus crawl”; or
      2. “a lime”;
    6. a karaoke event;
    7. a picnic; or
    8. a bus or other vehicular excursion.
  6. A person who wishes to charter a private boat must first obtain the permission of the Unit and the person shall comply with the conditions and protocols stipulated by the Unit.
  7. (1) A person may visit a beach or a park.
    (2) Where 2 or more persons visit a beach or a park as a group, those persons shall comply with the physical distancing protocols, unless they are members of the same household, in which case the group shall not exceed 10 persons.
  8. All persons who assemble in public places shall comply with the physical distancing protocols and every condition specified by the Chief Medical Officer and the Unit.
  9. (1) No person shall, without reasonable excuse, be in a public building or travelling on public transport without wearing a face mask, face shield or face-covering which covers his mouth, nose and chin.
    1. Where the person referred to in sub-paragraph (1) is a child who is accompanied by an individual who has responsibility for the child, the individual shall provide and ensure that the child has and wears a face mask, face shield or face covering as required by sub-paragraph (1).
    2. The owner or operator of any business or establishment, which provides goods or services to the public, shall ensure that no member of the public is permitted to enter or remain within any enclosed space of the business or establishment unless,
      1. the person is wearing a face mask, face shield or face covering which covers his mouth, nose and chin; or
      2. there is strict compliance with physical distancing protocols by all persons.
    3. Sub-paragraph (3) binds the Crown.
    4. Sub-paragraphs (1) to (3) shall not apply to children under 5 years of age.
    5. For the purposes of sub-paragraph (1), a person has a reasonable excuse where
      1. the person cannot put on, wear or remove a face mask, face shield or face covering
        1. because of any medical, physical or mental illness or disability which prevents him from wearing a face mask, face shield or face covering; or
        2. without causing him severe distress;
      2. the person is travelling with or providing assistance to another person and the other person relies on lip-reading to communicate with the first person;
      3. the person is eating, drinking or taking medication;
      4. a request is made of that person to remove his face mask, face shield or face covering temporarily for security and identification purposes, if necessary for the purpose of receiving services; or
      5. in such circumstances as may be provided for in such protocols as the Chief Medical Officer may determine.
  10. A person who is placed in quarantine shall obey the directions of the Chief Medical Officer and the Unit.
  11. Any person who contravenes this Directive or fails to comply with any conditions specified by the Chief Medical Officer or the Unit is guilty of an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of $50 000 or to imprisonment for a term of one year or to both pursuant to paragraph 15(1) of the Emergency Management (COVID-19) (No. 3) Order, 2020 (S.I. 2020 No. 71).
  12. The Emergency Management (Covid-19) Protocol (Special Curfew) Directive, 2021, is revoked.
  13. This Directive shall come into effect on the 6th day of January, 2021 and shall cease to have effect on the 14th day of January, 2021.

Made by the Prime Minister this 6th day of January, 2021.

MIA AMOR MOTTLEY

Prime Minister