A new S.I. is coming next month!

As for the Covid-19 regulations outlined in December’s Statutory Instrument, the Minister of Health had already confirmed that new regulations will be coming at the start of February. So, what kind of changes can we expect? We asked Minister of Home Affairs Kareem Musa. Musa said the details are still being ironed out, but the curfew hours are certainly being considered. Here’s how he explains it:

Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs

Kareem Musa

“When we introduced the S.I last month and we made it very clear then that it would be an indefinite S.I. We thought it necessary whenever we are presenting regulations that we cannot do so in a piecemeal manner. It has to be a very comprehensive S.I. that includes all regulations and so that S.I is still in place. I know that there is a huge misconception out there that the SI had an expiration date when in fact it did not. But what I can assure the public is that the Ministry of Health and its task force have been reviewing the regulations and towards the ending of the month, which is next week and starting February first we will see an adjustment in these regulations. That might not necessarily mean a lifting of the curfew but maybe an adjustment in the curfew. I think that is the number one concern out there particularly for the restaurant owners. They may want to see an adjustment made because they find that eight o’clock is too early in order to serve their customers. So, we are looking at that. While it is that I hear the anxiety and the build up and clamor now that our numbers have been going down for us to reopen. We have to consider and give ourselves a pat on the back for coming this far that we were able to make it through December, make it through New Year’s without a huge spike and so we didn’t lock down.”