Government has introduced new, stringent safety measures to combat COVID-19 as the number of confirmed COVID cases in Dominica continues to rise.
Acting Deputy Chief of Police, Davidson Valerie said the measures have been taken against the background of continuing disregard for the established protocols which are intended to contain the spread of the virus.
Valerie said during a press briefing last night that Dominica’s Independence celebration is normally marked with festive activities that generate large gatherings, however this year the country is faced with an unusual circumstance for which particular measures must be taken.
At that same press briefing, National Epidemiolgist, Dr. Shallaudin Ahmed revealed that the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Dominica had risen to forty-two (42) and active cases to nine (9).
“The Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica has a number of protocols established to help prevent the spread of Covid-19,” Valerie said. “Despite all these measures, citizens continue to disregard some of the basic protocols, like social distancing and wearing of masks; they continue to assemble in large groups with no apparent care.”
He outlined the policies which have been put in place, “particularly during public events” to help prevent the spread of the virus on the island.
“Effective today, [October 28 2020] anyone wishing to host a public entertainment event must have permission from the Chief of Police to do so,” Valerie stated and explained that a public event could refer to any event opened to the general public.
He said approval may be granted to the individual providing that they meet certain requirements.
Valerie made it clear that organizers must provide the start and end time for the event.
“There must be no more than 250 people at present, inclusive of event planning staff…each patron must be allowed 36 square feet at their venue,” the Deputy Chief stated and encouraged organizers to ensure that there is adequate security at the venues which, according to him, would assist in enforcing the health safety measures.
He indicated that application forms are available from the Discover Dominica Authority (DDA) and can be submitted to the Chief of Police by e-mail.
“Prior to approval, a monitoring team comprising of officials from the Dominica Police Force and officials from the Ministry of Health will conduct inspection of the venue to verify information submitted in the application,” Valerie stated.
He said the monitoring team will also visit the venue during the hosting of the event to ensure compliance with the protocols and warned that any breach to the protocols will result in the event being canceled.
“Also, event organizers who breach the protocols on more than one occasion will not have events approved for a period of 90 days from the last date of infraction,” Valerie added.
He further advised that the Chief of Police will not be permitting the hosting of any event on the streets that is likely to attract large crowds and appealed to everyone to continue to work with the Ministry of Health and the police to avert any further spread of Covid-19.
On another note, the Deputy Chief encouraged individuals admitted to the various quarantine sites to observe the regulations and protocols in place.
He reported that one man who absconded from the quarantine centre last week was captured by the police, charged, convicted and fined $2000 to be paid immediately or in default, go to prison for 6 months.
Valerie further urged those in quarantine to follow the necessary protocols.
Valerie, you need to be what you are suppose to be; or the token Roosevelt wants you to be!
You do do not have any medical training, you are not in the medical profession, its not your business to talk to people about COVID-19; a medical professional with pandemic knowledge should be be the one to advise government and citizens on measures and implement them, to protect the nation from this deadly virus.
At this point and time any and all planed social activities which involved large gathering of people without a doubt should be canceled!
You should not be out there talking nonsense; examples of what this virus has done in a matter of weeks, and days in countries containing millions of people should be a warning to you all.
You all boast a country with seventy (70,000.00) thousand people, be reminded In America and elsewhere in less than than a week more than seventy thousand people died. In America: 237, 737, plus people are dead!
WAKE UP ISRAEL!
We are still governed
by the laws that were created
when we were in bondage(.)
the Discover Dominica Authority (DDA) Is a privately owned business, why must I go to a friend of the police commisioner to get paperwork to host MY event? Why must I a PRIVATE citezen have to go through the business of another privae individual to get permission to host my event? At least, there are no fees involved because that would just make it too obvious. Had it been up to a forwad thinking individual in charge all this papperwork would have been availabvle from the Dominica Police Department and signed and aproved there and then, all this walking all over Roseau just to get aproval from 2 seperate entities makes absolutly no sense and just slows down the process in an already slow paced country.
Ahayah is calling the children of Jaco Jacob
12 tribes of Israel
time to go home
the poor get a beating again
a form of taking away your daily bread and freedom
obey and consume
remind me of a book 1984
250 are you all crazy well as far as I’m concerned the negative test in quarantine is just a quick money making you all are such hypocrite in dominica shame on you all send people at there home who are negative for quarantine if you all can host 250 in a function
The so-called new safety measures seems to be in mouth but not in action. Take a look at the actions and tell me one safety measure you see. 250 people to attend a jam is a safety measure? Cancellation of community covid testing on October 31 until after the festivities on November 7, is a safety measure? Even if mask is required to enter but when people start to dance and drink and start to touch and kiss you call that safety measure? More bull duddy than anything else.
In a DLP government some people are more equal than other!
“There must be no more than 250 people at present, inclusive of event planning staff…”
Honestly speaking I don’t see the streak measures put in place by government to combat the spread of covid-19. When we had our first confirmed case we had the country on lockdown. I am not saying we should lockdown again but at least, for the sake of Dominica at a time of festivities, I expected to hear bars closed from this weekend and all jams, sewos and other like activities cancelled. To say such events are opened to 250 people and all the things they talked about is just pure foolishness and false pretenses, whether the activity is from 1pm- 4pm. We talking about a jam where alcohol will be sold and one must remove their mask to drink. Question: how are we sure that people masks are new and are not infected prior to the jam? Do we understand that putting on and removing a mask can cause infection? What if people came from backdoor and go straight to the jam? That’s just carelessness
Is “Sewo” such an important thing, or it must be a basic need of life that we can’t just put a ban on it until we have zero cases. As long as there are people gathered together it will be impossible to maintain 6 feet distance. You will buy a drink, you will have to eat, and the music will be soo loud you must speak to the person ears. WOW this will really be a “Tou Fay” jam.
True. Any 250 people gathered? woy that not making sense..which place that can hold 250 bearing in mind 6 ft apart..only if is an open area like the beach or savannah..when u say 250 imagine a house party eh. Then again is the people involved to be wiseso do what allu want I will stay in my lane
People need to pay attention, this is very serious, not to be taken lightly. While we are at it and with this level of support, the permit requirement should at least remain in place after covid for the shops that place speakers outside their doors to torture their neighbors morning noon or night as if they have the blessings of the government to do it. Sir, please help those affected by this loud music in our neighborhoods after the covid. Give that wonderful Noise Abatement act some teeth too, your legacy rests on this.
Seriously??? 250 people to ” Social Distancing” in an event.? Please confirm how
Every time I watch pictures of law enforcement personnel, elected officials and medical professional wearing mask making proclamations of threats of punishments in their quest to combat Covid-19, it makes me shiver. What got humanity in this dilemma, where tyranny, fear and psychological warfare is used 24/7 with one narrative to combat a so-called Pandemic. When a person is given the choice of imprisonment or fined $2000 does this make the virus disappear, is there any evidence that this person cause harm to another human being.
This person hopefully and probably did not cause harm to another human being. But the person accepted the RISK to cause harm to many human beings. Greetings from Europe where the “so-called Pandemic” makes free intensive care beds get scarce in more and more regions at the moment. How many intensive care beds do you have in Dominica…?
When I wrote this comment I anticipated a reply like yours, about “accepted the RISK to cause harm to many human” this is such a ludicrous argument, this is what it means, If, if, If, if, that’s the nonsense you are alluding to, it can be described to as a mental Phobia. Do you know the amount of so-called accepted RISK which could cause harm to us and even death, and we go about our daily life, think about it.
They are using COVID to curtail our freedom. I told you all years ago, Dominica is heading towards dictatorship.