Cops working closely with Region Six COVID-19 task force

Mar 28, 2020 News

A COVID-19 task force which was set up at the Regional Democratic Council level in Region Six is working closely with the Guyana Police Force (Region 6) to assist when needed, this is according to Commander Calvin Brutus.

Commander Calvin Brutus

Brutus during an interview with reporters via telephone, explained that while there has been no curfew announced and implemented by the Town officials from Rose Hall Town and Corriverton, New Amsterdam Town Council has theirs in effect, and as such they are working along with the council.
“They have introduced some measures, closing off businesses at a particular time during the evening (18:00) while Pharmacies are given up to 20:00 hrs to close daily. We have been working along with them since Monday”, he said.
According to Brutus, since the formation of the task force about a week now, there have been a few difficulties with some business persons adhering to the curfew set out by the NA Town Council. This, he said, has been the only minor hurdle, but after having talks with the business owners they have promised to co-operate.
“I had a talk with them to help them to understand that it is not a forever something and they promised to cooperate. We want to give a fair chance to educate them first before we take further action if there are continued difficulties,” he stated.
The Commander further mentioned that there are some new measures put in place by the commercial banks in the ancient county.
Kaieteur News understands that a limited number of persons can enter the bank, but there has been a build up of persons outside the locations lined up in numbers. This was visible yesterday during a drive about the town of Rose Hall.
Brutus stated that the police had to assist in quelling a situation at one of the bank locations in Rose Hall after persons grew frustrated waiting for long periods of time outside.
“The pace which the customers were being dealt with caused a build-up of persons outside, so the police were called in to assist”, Brutus explained.
In addition, he noted that when the task force visits a suspected case of the novel coronavirus, ranks would also accompany to assist.
While the world adjusts to stringent measures put in place to tackle COVID-19, Guyanese, and by extension Berbicians, have still failed to adhere to basic precautionary measures. Yesterday at the local banks in Rose Hall Town persons were grouped together while others stood bracing each other in lines to access the bank and the ATM.
In light of the pandemic sweeping across the globe at a fast rate, persons are being advised to practice social distancing, staying at home, leaving home only when urgent or necessary, and practicing healthy habits at home by keeping surfaces and hands sanitized.
Brutus told this publication that such practices are also being implemented among his ranks, while they are still in line, and during the COVID fight.
“The Ministry of Health came and washed out the whole area headquarters with whatever chemicals they are using, and that was done yesterday, and with the task force now we have created a schedule and submitted to them, so we will have the police stations throughout the region sanitized between now and Monday”.
He added that, “we are trying to install sinks at the entrance of every police station, and for those who are living in the barracks we provided detergents, hand sanitizers, gloves and so forth”.