216 Persons Arrested for Violating Quarantine Regulations!

Two hundred and sixteen persons were arrested and charged for violating the quarantine regulations. One hundred and twelve persons were arrested for failing to wear a face mask in public. Another thirty-eight persons were arrested because they failed to practice social distancing and thirty-four persons were arrested after they were caught in public during curfew hours. Eleven persons were arrested for attending a restricted social event and six persons were arrested for hosting such an event. Three persons were arrested for engaging in contact sports, while four were arrested for gathering in public. Two persons were arrested for illegally selling liquor and two others were arrested for transporting a passenger who did not have on a face mask. A businessman was arrested for operating his business when he was restricted and another business person was arrested for violating COVID-19 regulations. And two persons were arrested in relation to border jumping. The high number of arrests is a result of the COVID-19 police task force. Commissioner of Police Chester Williams says that since the creation of the task force and the establishment of the hotline to report infractions, an increase of arrests and charges has been noticed.

Chester Williams

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“We are getting a lot of calls through the hotline. People are cooperating with us in terms of reporting infractions and police are responding adequately to these complaints and so we are seeing that more and more people are being arrested. I would hope though that while we are seeing a number of arrests it would be seen as some way for people to understand that there is a real need for us to comply with the regulations to keep ourselves safe. For me it is a not making arrests. For me it is more about people complying. I would be grateful to see the number of arrests is reduced providing that it would be a reflection that people are indeed complying with the requirements of the regulations.  We do have a number of persons so continue to jump the border and when you jump the border you are not charged immediately. What happens is that you go to D Silva in the Mountain Pine Ridge area where you undergo quarantine and as soon as your quarantine is over then you are brought back to the police charge where you are charged and then you are arraigned. We still have a number of persons at D Silva who are border jumpers waiting to be charged but the charges will proceed after they have completed their quarantine.”

Hipolito Novelo

“What about that specific charge: “operating a business establishment contrary to the COVID-19 Regulations, that person broke which specific regulation?”

Chester Williams

“Well obviously the person was operating a store or a liquor establishment that was required to be close as you know that under the new regulations it continues to keep liquor establishment and rum houses close. We also have a number of persons who were charged with selling alcohol when the law does not require for alcohol to be sold. That is persons who were found selling alcohol after six p.m.”