As the Dominica government increases measures to combat the dreaded COVID-19, Minister for Health, Wellness and New Health Investments, Dr. Irving McIntyre, has announced that a curfew will go into effect from 10:00 o’clock this evening (Saturday 28th March 2020).
MacIntyre made the announcement in a live media statement a short while ago.
He said that the curfew will be in effect from Saturday 28th March 2020 to Tuesday 31st March 2020.
The curfew is part of measures which have been introduced under the new Environmental Health COVID-19 Regulations 2020 of the Environmental Health Services Act #8 of 1997.
The Minister said the general provisions under the new regulations will be in effect as of 8:00 pm Saturday, 28 March 2020 until Saturday, April 18 2020, “unless the Minister, by order, notifies otherwise”.
“However, the provision providing for a curfew will only have effect from Saturday 28th March 2020 until 8:00 am to Tuesday, 31st March 2020 unless the Minister, by order, published in the [Official] Gazette, extends this,” Dr. McIntyre stated.
The general measures provided for under the new regulations include the isolation of persons infected or suspected to be infected with COVID-19, special restrictions and requirements on persons arriving from outside of Dominica and closure of the air and seaports.
Other measures entail the requirement of the provision of truthful information, the requirement to notify the authorities of symptoms, the prohibition of gatherings of more than ten people, a curfew and the closure of schools.
Dr. McIntyre warned that anyone found guilty of committing an offence under these provisions may receive a fine of $10,000.00 and imprisonment for 12 months.
The announcement of the new regulations comes in light of what the minister described as a refusal by some people to heed the call for cooperation and the exercise of personal and collective responsibility and their refusal to adhere to the guidelines, protocols and pleas from the health authorities.
“This action is detrimental to the health, well being and lives of our people and cannot, therefore, be permitted to continue unchecked,” Dr. McIntyre declared. “It has, therefore, become necessary for the government of Dominica to take stronger legislative action to protect the nation and its residents.”
He expressed the hope that Dominicans will fully cooperate and there will be no need to enforce the provisions.
“It is in the best interest of all of us in Dominica that we all heed the guidance and requests of the health authorities. May God bless us all,” the Health Minister stated.
Watch the video of the Minister’s full statement below.
Below is a copy of Environmental Health Services S.R.O. 13 of 2020 which governs the new measures.
So-called Workers Covidiots stop listening to that propaganda radio station q95 and do the right things stay in doors do not go out looking for Covid-19 it will find you first something else my personal opinion I believe that the curfew is much to short Dominica out to have stricter laws put in place from so-called politicians down to everyone else all that nasty nonsense must be stopped it’s becoming a joke now…
very confusing article. DNO???
ADMIN: Dr. McIntyre’s statement has caused many to seek clarification. Our attempts for a clear explanation have so far been unanswered.
The video of Mcintyre’s message at the end of article may help provide clarity.
Curfew from what hour in the evening to when in the morning? Seem’s like that would be good to know.
MacIntyre is even more useless than Skerrit. Sometimes I wonder where he finds all these nomads: tyre, dschungelboy, baby Sarah, policeman, etc.
Ok, the country under curfew but the ports of entry remain open? Does it make sense??
Let’s all watch out if this curfew is applicable to ALL Dominicans or if labour operatives and friends of the opaque regime are exempt. I bet you they will still roam the island…
Way way boy these people so stupid? I know Linton is but his followers are worst a simple thing as that they cannot understand plain English Mr MacIntyre, said from 10pm Saturday 28th March 2020 to Tuesday 31st 8:am meaning end off curfew what is so hard about that or is it just wickedness? They all crying I don’t understand what de government is talking about Covidiots!!
Are we just trying to jump on the wagon no mater how silly we look? Again a desire to attract media attention and to be in the News! Firstly we were told that (a) we would be the first Caribbean island to have the capacity to test for Corona, (b) We were told that we were on top of this game, while the world panicked, (c) We were then told that we were 80% prepared, (d) We were told that people were quarantined from the time they landed, then we started doing active contact tracing, Now the national epidemiologist claims that the cases are in a single cluster area, and Delices is routinely mentioned. (e) Now we are trying to be in the news again with this unbridled folly, A 3 DAY CURFEW! What is the rationale, I ask? Where is the science to support this? Is there any anecdotal evidence that this is a sensible move? Dominica , Dominica, please stop embarrassing your sons and daughters! We are not all in Dominica and unfortunately, you have made us a laughing stock in our environments.
Too little, Too late, This is now more an exercise in folly!! The chickens are coming home to roost, The lies are being exposed, we are ashamed of our MOH. Till now I note there has been no clarification from LIAT’s foolish secretive statement of a few weeks ago. We are no wiser but hopefully this will pass over and Too many lives will not be lost. I see St. Vincent’s case has been cured in record time. Could it be our Climate or was this individual never positive for the virus? The climate does not seem to be much of a factor as the numbers seem to be rising all over the Caribbean. It is true that I predicted at the beginning of March that every island would have at least one case by the end of March and again my prophecy seem to be ringing true.
In a situation like this, the truth is needed. It is not a political game, there is no need for the practice of creating division, We all need to work together. Are there any increased funds to allow the MOH to perform it’s task?
I still have one question though. Is this a shutdown till Tuesday or a curfew 10 to 8 every evening.
ADMIN: While there has been much confusion over his initial statement, in the video provided at the bottom of the article he refers to the period as a curfew.
Well Done. People first. While even I would have said you guys started on the wrong foot.
Now is a matter of implementation and proper implementation based on where we are now.
God bless the people of Dominica.
This Govt have a serious management crisis which I believe is worse than the Covid_19.
You are implementing a curfew from tonight(Saturday) 10pm to Tuesday 8am and the PUBLIC is not given 24hr notice?
This is a firm display of a high level of incompetence!
I don’t get it. Four days the coronavirus number remains at 11 and no one according to them, is in critical condition. Yet, they put us under curfew although the ferry came today from coronavirus hotspot of Guadeloupe. So what’s really happening?
Well here comes trouble guess more victims why the government impose curfew. I thought it would he the PM king skerrit tu o impose the curfew. We watching. God space our so cal Nature island.
when a criminal is on the loose the best thing is to lock yourself and your children in your house, you don’t keep your doors open and when the criminal gets in you lock your door and say no one should go out,
THAT IS SO FOOLISH
That’s a good measure to combat Covid-19. People don’t move. The virus dies. Stay home. No spreading. It’s much safer. The curfew should be longer. One (1) to two (2) weeks.
Are we required to stay in from tonight until Tuesday or is the curfew from 10pm to 8am daily?
Tell me if is me alone that thinking someone infected escape and they trying to hide it and catch them fast.
Because what is just a 3 say curfew…out of the blue…after no new cases?
I smell secrets.
While this Coronavirus has many world leaders in panic, some however will use it to do their corrupt deals to bring in corrupt money, fake ambassadors in the name of medical personnel and just the usual that goes with corrupt leader.
In the case of Dominica I don’t understand that curfew since we don’t have any new cases and they told us is 11 confirmed and no deaths. So I don’t understand that.
Well it’s a good time for helicopters to land similar to the one that landed at Benjamin’s park in Portsmouth during the election and dropped a passenger I saw with my eyes. So now they locked us in are the gates going to be thrown wide-open knowing we can’t get out?
Ehmm…. what?!🧐🤔
How minister of health can announced curfew, is that what I’m really reading, so where is the Prime Minister and the attorney general
So according to the doctor the curfew “will only have effect from 10p.m. Saturday 28th March 2020 until 8 am Tuesday 31 March 2020”
That means stay in allu HOME don’t go outside until Tuesday 31, March 2020 at 8a.m.
LOCKDOWN unless allu want to pay $10,000 to the government stay in jail for 12 months.
Thank God no new cases so far
DNO,The first paragraph has a mistake ,The effect date for curfew is incorrect today date is 28th March 2020 not 20th April 2020.
ADMIN: Thank you it was corrected.
They locked us in so they could unlock themselves and have no one see what comes in and what goes out, all in the name of Covid-19
RAS B,you are a LIAR,no wonder the MAJORITY of Dominicans don’t vote UWP.Dr Mc Intyre said Dominica is the only island in the OECS with the capacity to test for COVID-19.He did not say CARIBBEAN,and DNO is allowing you to POST A LIE and they know it’s a LIE.The Virus did not come from the CRUIS SHIPS it did not come from the FERRY………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
ADMIN: You are wrong, your comments attributing the spread of the coronavirus to any political party will not be allowed.
Mcintyre did actually say in parliament that “Dominica will be the only Caribbean country able to test for Coronavirus”.
You can also view the 10th parliament session where Dr. McIntyre was recorded saying those words on the government’s youtube channel.
Link to DNO article with his direct quote below: https://dominicanewsonline.com/news/homepage/dominica-to-be-first-caribbean-country-able-to-test-for-coronavirus-according-to-health-minister/
He later issued a different statement:
https://dominicanewsonline.com/news/homepage/homepage-carousel/dominican-health-practitioners-undergo-training-to-face-threats-like-coronavirus/
Admin: Thanks for the support. Increasingly it becomes unnecessary to respond to some whose eyes have reddened and ears have been clogged with reddish wax which interferes with their senses and objectivity.
DNO,is like UWP telling a LIE.WILL BE ,DNO that is FUTURE.Last statement by the DR is OECS stop being a BIAS D……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
ADMIN: Your statement is not just biased its irresponsible and amounts to false propaganda. The more offensive and libelous portions have been edited out.
Similar comments will not be approved in the future.
For the sake of those still fooled by this false propaganda the link to Dr. Mcintyre’s original statement at 10th meeting of Parliament “We will be the only country in the Caribbean that can test for coronavirus” is included below: https://youtu.be/tAUVB-K6q1s?t=4235