by Linda Straker
- Grenada’s 25th case is returning national from Canada who breached mandatory quarantine
- First case in about 3 months and first imported case since full reopening of borders on 1 October
- Law enforcement authorities investigating breach by case number 25 with a view to pressing criminal charges
Almost 3 months after recording its 24th Covid-19 case, Grenada announced its 25th case, a returning national from Canada who breached the mandatory quarantine for people returning from medium risk destinations such as Canada.
“The Ministry of Health confirms the diagnosis of the 25th positive Covid-19 case on mainland Grenada. This latest is the first in about 3 months and is the first imported case since the full reopening of Grenada’s borders on 1 October,” Dr Shawn Charles, Acting Chief Medical Officer said in a news conference on Monday, 13 October 2020.
“The confirmed case is a St Andrew’s resident who returned from Canada and who regrettably left quarantine unknown to health officials before he was given the all-clear to do so. This is exactly the kind of behaviour that puts us all at risk—both on the part of the monitoring body and the individual.” Charles shared with the public the increasing number of returning nationals who are failing to comply with all the new entry requirements protocols. “We are faced with a situation where a large number of locals are simply not adhering to all of the entry protocols. The protocols state that you must have a booking for a designated period upon entry to Grenada which is to prepare for your quarantining, monitoring, and testing before going home,” he said. “There is a large section of the population that is returning who are not obeying this part of the entry protocol, and when they land at our airport, it creates a huge problem for the health officials and everyone else who have to process these persons.”
“Some of these individuals,” he continued, “Are very belligerent and combative, demonstrating very little care for the population, for the local population. That is a situation that the Ministry of Health or port health officials have been battling for months, and it’s a situation that we need the cooperation of everyone to address.” Charles, who is also the Epidemiologist at the Ministry of Health, said that “a large portion of these individuals are simply not booking and they are landing here and their conclusion is, I am here what can you do?”
“This is not the attitude of someone who is returning here and cares about this country. This is the attitude of someone who has no consideration for all of the efforts that have been taken to keep this country safe,” he said.
“This is a situation that cannot continue. If you do not care about this nation do not come back. You are not doing us a favour by returning here. If you do not care about this country do not come back,” he said, calling on Grenadian families who are accommodating returning nationals to ensure that all protocols are fulfilled before allowing them to mingle in society. “This is a situation where we want Grenadian families to assist us in combating.”
Charles confirmed several households are presently under quarantine because of case number 25 who is a 32-year-old. He reportedly visited families and mingled with locals at mass gathering event before he was picked up by law enforcement. He is presently quarantined in a state quarantine facility until he has a negative PCR test result.
Grenada’s Covid-19 regulations state that a person who contravenes or fails to comply with the regulations shall be guilty of an offence shall be liable on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding $10,000.
The relevant law enforcement authorities are currently investigating the breach of regulations by case number 25 with a view to pressing criminal charges.
I note there is quite a few comments regarding security at quarantine facilities. Saying it is lacking, but I do not know what is expected of of the places as regard to security. I am not aware that anybody other than the RGPF, has the authority to prevent a person from leaving the quarantine facility.
So it seems, somewhat a mute point, Surely all that can be expected of any of these facilities, would be to inform the MOH and RGPF, that a person has left the facility, prior to PCR test results being returned.
They have no authority at all, that I am aware of to force people to remain at the facility, wether you have security guards or just regular people at these facilities.
Also, there appears to be no regulation to prevent a person from visiting another person at these facilities. So how can anyone even the RGPF enforce something that is not there, as per the guy who broke his leg after visiting a girlfriend.
It seems, he did not break any law or regulation, so this is a big hole in the system, if what I read is correct.
Lester, if you pay attention to the comment above you will notice it has very little to do with the infected individual and more to do with the health official blaming “returning Grenadian nationals” in general for *not adhering to entry protocols*.
You mentioned that the rules were enforced, but according to Dr. Charles “a large portion of individuals are landing here and are not booking”. Now according to the rules per Grenada’s travel advisory which is mandated by the Ministry of Health, persons traveling back to Grenada MUST book a place to quarantine. Let me ask you a question Lester, if the rules are being enforced would there be a LARGE portion of individuals breaking entry protocols? If Dr. Charles, a health official, is aware of this particular situation then it highlights THREE things (at least)
1.) The health officials are lax
2.) Entry protocols are not being enforced
3.) Health officials are aware of the situation and are doing nothing about it
Also, you mentioned that this is not a police state. Truth be told, I’m not sure what you mean by that. But I do know that the police is employed by the State to keep this country safe.
I agree with you, people need to be responsible for their actions. By no means do I agree with what the infected individual did. In fact, I think he was wrong. Likewise, we have to hold the government and health officials accoubtable for their short comings too. Believe it or not, they also have to take responsibility for their actions and that includes enforcing the rules to make sure people traveling to Grenada have proof of accomodation.
I find it rather unfair that this health official is placing the blame solely on the Grenadian nationals who are returning. The statement he made about, “If you do not care about this nation do not come back” seems like he lacks consideration.
It is not the Grenadian nationals who decided to open up the borders to international flights. The infected individual in this case, saw an opportunity to travel back to Grenada and did what most Grenadian nationals would have done; he came back!
Added to that, the fact that this infected individual was able to “circumvent” the quarantine process just goes to show how fragile our security system is rather than “locals not adhering to entry protocols”.
While it is true the protocols state that you must have a booking for a designated period upon entry to Grenada, it is the Ministry of Health that needs to declare whether a person is safe to travel back to Grenada. So when Dr. Shawn Charles, the epidemiologist at the Ministry of Health, made the comment that “a large portion of these individuals are simply not booking and they are landing here…” then we need to scratch our heads in bewilderment and ask ourselves, “How are they letting this happen??”.
Please remember, returning nationals aren’t the only ones who are responsible for the safety and security of this country. As far as I see it, the government has to be stringent in determining who can enter our borders and who cannot.
You need to enforce YOUR rules that govern the safety of THIS country and not play the blame game. If you know your quarantine policies are so easy to be breached then ask yourself this very important question, “Is the country really ready to be opened up to the wider world during this pandemic?”
huh?? The rules were enforced… he was provided lodging… he circumvented the rules… he was arrested. What more do you want them to do? It is not a police state…. they can’t have armed guards monitoring everyone after they have put them into the 4day lodging… people have to take responsibility as adults … as Grenadians to respect the rules and not circumvent them
Lester, if you pay attention to the comment above you will notice it has very little to do with the infected individual and more to do with the health official blaming “returning Grenadian nationals” in general for *not adhering to entry protocols*.
You mentioned that the rules were enforced, but according to Dr. Charles “a large portion of individuals are landing here and are not booking”. Now according to the rules per Grenada’s travel advisory which is mandated by the Ministry of Health, persons traveling back to Grenada MUST book a place to quarantine. Let me ask you a question Lester, if the rules are being enforced would there be a LARGE portion of individuals breaking entry protocols? If Dr. Charles, a health official, is aware of this particular situation then it highlights THREE things (at least)
1.) The health officials are lax
2.) Entry protocols are not being enforced
3.) Health officials are aware of the situation and are doing nothing about it
Also, you mentioned that this is not a police state. Truth be told, I’m not sure what you mean by that. But I do know that the police is employed by the State to keep this country safe.
I agree with you, people need to be responsible for their actions. By no means do I agree with what the infected individual did. In fact, I think he was wrong. Likewise, we have to hold the government and health officials accoubtable for their short comings too. Believe it or not, they also have to take responsibility for their actions and that includes enforcing the rules to make sure people traveling to Grenada have proof of accomodation.
I blame the government for what has happened here too this is not the first person to breach protocol. This is how ever the first person to have been tested positive, they allowed people to stay in qurantine in hotels without supervision/secrutiy, I blame everyone involve.
He needs to be fined the full $10000, be deported and never to return. Those who took him in their homes should be fined too. Please avoid the large gatherings. It’s time grenadians get serious. This virus is no joker.
I agree with Dr Charles 100%
If you do not care about this nation do not come back. You are not doing us a favour by returning here. If you do not care about this country do not come back.
Quarantine and deport back to Canada. Great story and reporting. I wish to believe that level of inconsideration to be the exception rather than the rule.
1. ‘Scolding’ is not strong enough. Apply the fines. Don’t just threaten them.
2. Get tough, but try to avoid punishing the innocent, which is what these returnees are doing.
3. Will the press please stop referring to these potential killers as ‘gentlemen’.
4. Thanks to all involved in contract tracing, to whom we all owe so much.