Further Ease of Lockdown Restrictions; Curfew Shortened, Social Gatherings Allowed

Michael Peyrefitte

There was a national sigh of relief today when the lifting of additional restrictions was announced, though the state of emergency remains in place until the end of June.  Cabinet acted on the recommendations from the National Oversight Committee.  There has been no sign of community transmission of COVID-19 for over fifty days; the two new cases this week were imported and the persons are in quarantine.  The new relaxation will allow more freedom of movement, more people will return to work and more businesses will open their doors. Now, among the measures to be relaxed will be the curfew hours. Instead of eight o’clock at night, the curfew begins at ten o’clock in the night to four-fifty-nine in the mornings on Sundays to Thursdays. On Fridays and Saturdays, the curfew will last under five hours and movement will be allowed until midnight to four-fifty-nine in the mornings. The new statutory instrument reflecting these new measures are expected to come into force effective Friday. Attorney General Michael Peyrefitte appeared on Ask the Experts today to expand on the new curfew hours.

Michael Peyrefitte, Attorney General

“When you walk up in the morning tomorrow morning five o’clock is when the curfew ends. So you can be out in the streets at five and so once you are out in the streets at five then you must be in because tomorrow is a Friday by midnight because tomorrow is Friday. Sunday to Thursday is five a.m. to ten p.m. Friday and Saturday is five a.m. to midnight. So when you walk up tomorrow you are free to roam about from five am to midnight tomorrow. That is Friday and Saturday. Five in the morning to midnight tomorrow and Saturday. Come Sunday, Sunday evening you must home or off the streets at ten p.m. once again.”