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Linden, New Amsterdam towns under curfews
After giving keen consideration to the measures being proposed to effectively combat COVID-19, two municipalities have decided to be proactive in their response. Both the New Amsterdam and Linden municipalities have instituted curfews in hopes of encouraging social distancing, a tactical move to reduce the spread of the contagious disease.
Sitting: Regional Chairman, Renis Morian; Mayor Waneka Arrindell. Standing [front left]: Colonel Eon Murray; RHO Dr. Pansy Armstrong; Station Officer for the Linden Fire Department, Courtney Springer; Regional Police Commander, Hugh Winter, and DREO Maylene Stephen
N/A Mayor, Winifred Haywood, on Tuesday led a team of municipal representatives to visit grocery stores, supermarkets, restaurants, other food outlets and bars to raise awareness of the novel coronavirus.
The team included Town Clerk, Sharon Alexander; Councillors Buster Wright, Quacy Isaacs and Sheeanta Lambert; Environmental Health Assistant, Jafanna Wright and Constabulary Sergeant, Paul Beaton.
According to Mayor Haywood, Divisional Commander Calvin Brutus has been given the undertaking to take action should there be lax adherence.
Additionally, business owners have been sensitised about the Ministry of Public Health’s COVID-19 guidelines as it relates to the prevention of the spread of the virus.
Meanwhile, in Linden the Mayor and Town Council, along with the Region’s Regional Democratic Council [RDC] met at an urgent meeting yesterday. At the meeting, several stakeholders in attendance were briefed on measures that the Region has planned to help ward off the disease.
The almost three-hour long meeting in the RDC boardroom addressed how residents and several others have been responding to the potential danger that the virus poses to them. Mayor Waneka Arrindell said that she is very disappointed and somewhat alarmed by the behaviour of several residents who she said, “are operating as though COVID-9 will not affect the region”.“I am appalled to see how several businesses are opened late at nights with large crowds of people mingling as though everything is okay. We as a municipality along with the various stakeholders have to put systems in place so that people would recognise that it cannot be business or our lives as usual because serious measures must be taken so as to ensure the safety of others,” she said.
Leading by example, Regional Vice Chairman Elroy Adolph washing his hands at a sink set up at the RDC’s Admin building.
Mayor of New Amsterdam, Her Worship Winifred Haywood, along with Constabulary Sergeant Paul Beaton and Councillor Sheeanta Lambert interacting with a resident.
The Mayor told stakeholders that she is seeking support and endorsement to put strict measures in place with those gathered at the meeting agreeing that a curfew should be implemented.
Moreover, the Mayor using her municipal powers, and with the support of stakeholders, yesterday decided to implement curfew similar to that activated in New Amsterdam whereby supermarkets and pharmacies are mandated to close by 19:00 hours and other business one hour earlier.
The Linden Council has taken its measures a step further that will restrict persons from gathering in public after 20:00 hrs. It was revealed that only essential workers including healthcare professionals, among others, will be permitted on the road after that time.
The Mayor disclosed that, “anyone found after 20:00 hrs on the road will be picked up by the police and will be subjected to search.” She noted further that should persons resist the new order, the police force will take the required actions.
Commander of Region 10, Hugh Winter said that his ranks will be readily available to serve the people of the region after being duly informed of the decision made.“I am certain that some persons would give resistance as its understandable that people are not keen in conditioning themselves to restricted movements, but this is important as it means that we are seeking to collaborate to ensure that residents are safe,” he added.
Some of the stakeholders who attended the emergency meeting yesterday
It was revealed that vehicles moving through Region 10 will also be restricted as the Mayor and those in attendance agreed that immediate and strict measures must be taken if residents are to remain safe.
Mayor Arrindell along with Colonel Eon Murray; Regional Chairman, Renis Morian; Regional Vice Chairman, Elroy Adolph; Deputy Mayor, Wainwright Bethune; Police Commander Winter; Regional Executive Officer, Orrin Gordon; Deputy Regional Executive Officer, Maylene Stephen, among others stakeholders, addressed the residents via television and radio explaining the decisions and other measures that have been implemented.
DREO Stephen stressed that the measures being implemented will aid in saving lives, noting that she expects residents and visitors to the region would consider the urgency of the situation and adhere to the necessary guidelines.
“These measures will certainly help in saving and ensuring that we remain safe in these very difficult times and I trust that all will support these new measures,” she said.
Meanwhile, REO Gordon appealed for strict measures to be put in place to monitor the implemented guidelines. He related that some days ago, he witnessed several residents at one of the region’s popular beaches operating “as if nothing was wrong”.
“I am shocked to see how some residents have responded as they continue to operate as if everything is okay and we must ensure that we have a very strict monitoring system to prevent any loopholes. Persons will seek to exploit loopholes. I am urging those people who will be monitoring to recognise that even those passing through our region must be monitored and will have to adhere to our set out guidelines,” he asserted.
Mayor Arrindell embraced recommendations made by both Gordon and Regional Chairman Morian who has training in disaster risk management.
The meeting also saw the establishment of a Regional Health Emergency Committee with several agencies and departments forming part of it. The committee, which is expected to meet every 48 hours, will gear its efforts towards providing regular reports to the Ministry of Communities, the DREO Stephen said.
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