by Linda Straker
- Several individuals and groups engaging in illegal gatherings for social activities
- RGPF response will be urgent and decisive to ensure compliance with regulations
- More than 400 tickets have been issued to violators
Police in Grenada has issued a warning to violators of the Covid-19 regulations, amidst the increasing number of people who are engaging in illegal mass gathering activities such as beach fetes and social get-togethers after funeral services.
“The Royal Grenada Police Force is aware of several individuals and groups who are engaging in illegal gatherings for social activities such as beach limes, wakes, and happy hours,” said a news release from the RGPF Community Relations Department.
“Several reports of businesses allowing patrons to consume alcoholic beverages on their premises and other public spaces have also been received and observed. All of the preceding is in direct violation of the Emergency Powers (Covid-19) Regulations,” said the release which referred to the section of the regulations that forbids socialising activities.
Regulation 13, sub-regulation (1) states “No person shall host or attend any social activity of any description, including a wedding” and sub-regulation (3) “For avoidance of doubt, there shall be no wakes or happy hour activities.”
Further, Regulation 9, sub-regulation (3) states “there shall be no consumption of alcohol in or in the vicinity of any shop, grocery store or establishment or in any public place.”
“Business owners, individuals who engage in illegal social activities, and citizens who consume alcohol in public places are hereby reminded that these practices constitute an offence that carries penalties. They are further admonished to desist from such practices.” The release warned that “Should these violations continue, the response from the RGPF will be urgent and decisive to ensure compliance with the regulations.”
According to the regulations, the maximum fine for violating the emergency regulations is EC$1,000 while each person who violates can be ticketed EC$550 for violating the regulation. Recently the police disclosed that more than 400 tickets were issued to violators.
A ticket must be paid in 31 days and the violation will not be included as a criminal record. However, if the person goes to the magistrate court, the outcome will determine whether or not that person has a criminal offence against his records.
Just a few weeks ago all theses gathering was being labeled as one of the main causes of spreading the virus, the gathering is still happening but the cases is declining at a extremely fast rate.it seems that the cases was movied to create fear, and vaccine uptake and also to justify the mandates #foodforthought#
Sorry A Jessamy, but this unfair act has been around for a number of years now. It is the same as being ticketed for a trafic violation. You pay a fine which is of course by defination is a plea of guilt but if you decides to go the court and you lost the fine now becomes $1000.00. I know because I was a victim, I took the option to pay the fine rather than going to the court. I am still sick of this knowing that what I was accused of what was totally Wrong!
If it’s not a criminal offense once they pay it within 30 days, then why should it be a criminal offense if they exercise their right to due process and challenge it in court? If it’s a criminal offense then that should be the case whether they plead guilty and pay the ticket or lose their case in court. The message here is: whether you think that you were unfairly issued the ticket, just pay it within 30 days and you’re good. But if you dare to challenge it and for some reason the magistrate believed the police over you, then you not only have to pay the ticket, you also have a criminal record now. This is sending a clear message to officers to issue tickets indiscriminately because most people (poor) won’t challenge, since “crapoe go smoke their pipe” if they lose in court. This sounds like extortion and coercion of citizens not to exercise their right to due process by threat to criminalize an activity that is otherwise not.
I am very confused, if you go to a bar or a restaurant, I thought you could eat and drink on the premises, this article seems to imply you cant drink at a bar ??
Surly it is better to outside than inside to help reduce the spread of Covid, this does not make much sense to me.
Just draconian……
The article does not imply that you cannot, the regulation clearly states that. Further, Regulation 9, sub-regulation (3) states “there shall be no consumption of alcohol in or in the vicinity of any shop, grocery store or establishment or in any public place.”
Thank you, but I may be thick, but I am not seeing this anywhere in the Emergency Powers (COVID-19) (No. 6) Regulations….. issued on 19th Oct 2022….may be I am missing something, please guide me as to where it say about drinking alcohol in public….thanks
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https://nowgrenada.com/2021/10/emergency-powers-covid-19-no-5-regulations-sro-42-2/