New Quarantine Regulation and Policing

When you woke up this morning, a new statutory instrument was in effect and tonight you can move around past nine o’clock. But while the curfew has been lifted there are quarantine restrictions in place so it is not a free for all. You can move around but can’t go to bars or restaurants for in-house dining. And the cap on gatherings remains at ten, and that includes the churches.  Social distancing guidelines and the use of masks are still enforced and with the absence of a curfew, quality of life crimes will be seriously pursued by the police. Commissioner Chester Williams today spoke on the new SI and what it means for policing.

Chester Williams

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“The new quarantine regulations, while it lifts the curfew, the other restrictions that were contained in Regulation 119 still do exist. So we still have restriction on social distancing, we have restrictions on the number of persons at any gathering, we have the issue of wearing of masks, we have the issue of riding a bus or on a boat and must be wearing a mask. The establishment owner or operator of bus or boat can be held accountable if persons on the vessel, establishment or public transportation do not wear a mask. So the regulation is still there and I believe that it still contains very good preventative measures that I would hope that the Belizean people would adhere to.  I would again appeal to the public to please work with the police, work with the Ministry of Health and adhere to the regulations.”