The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

SEVEN businesses were cited for breaking COVID-19 Emergency Orders over the Labour Day weekend, resulting in over $26,000 in fines being issued, according to the head of COVID Enforcement Unit.

Chief Superintendent of Police Zhivargo Dames, officer in charge of the Cable Beach Police Station and the COVID Enforcement Unit, told The Tribune yesterday the figures are a major improvement compared with the number of citations on past holiday weekends.

In April, for example, COVID ambassadors cited organisers of an event held over the Easter break nearly $100,000 for breaching COVID-19 rules, which currently prohibits social gatherings in New Providence.

Videos of the event made the rounds on social media, sparking public outrage.

Similar parties have been hosted over the course of the pandemic, despite repeated warnings from officials that such events could be a “super spreader” for COVID-19.

Yesterday, Chief Supt Dames said it appears Bahamians are finally starting to heed the message.

He said: “Over this holiday weekend, Friday to date, the COVID-19 Enforcement Unit alone, we would’ve cited some seven businesses for breach of the emergency orders. Citations issued in the tune of some 26 plus thousand of dollars for any number of breaches were it  operating a prohibited business or persons’ social gatherings or persons patronising a prohibited business.

“I am (also) pleased to say that over the holiday weekend, we actually cited one person for failing to wear a mask. One person was cited. No person was cited for breach of curfew. These numbers only speak for the COVID-19 Enforcement Unit. It doesn’t speak for the other police stations and the likes.

“I am pleased by these numbers,” Chief Supt Dames added. “They are low. If you go by the numbers here by the Labour Day holiday up to last night (Saturday), it appears that the Bahamian populace are adhering to the protocols and we know that the holiday in itself is an active period and for us to yield these type of numbers over the holiday, I would say I believe that the Bahamian populace are beginning to heed to the protocols.”

According to CSP Dames, this year over 1,000 citations have been issued to people/businesses found in breach of the COVID-19 rules.

“Between January to the first week in June, we are looking at about 1,057 citations (that) were issued. Just a little over $600,000 if you put a dollar figure to it,” he said.

The enforcement of COVID-19 rules comes as the government relaxes restrictions for fully vaccinated people.

For example, fully vaccinated people are exempted from travel requirements when travelling to and throughout the country.

They are also allowed to participate in closed environments like indoor dining so long as everyone in that environment is also fully vaccinated among other things.

Asked if officials remain on high alert for forged vaccination documents, CSP Dames replied: “We are definitely on high alert for fake fully vaccinated cards.”

He also issued a warning against obtaining fraudulent vaccination cards, noting the penalties for doing so can result in major fines and even imprisonment.

“I want to seriously and as sternly as I can, warn against that. The orders state for persons who actually produce a fraudulent vaccination card that there carries a fine of $20,000, so I want to sternly warn persons against doing that as they would’ve seen with the fake fraudulent PCR tests,” CSP Dames told this newspaper.

“Persons would’ve been placed before the courts and fines would’ve been levied against those persons and in addition, that fine also carries an imprisonment penalty of two years and so I really want to warn against anyone deciding to go towards a computer or a friend who they may know and actually create a fraudulent certificate for fully vaccinated people.

“So, I just want people to continue to follow the protocols and I think, hopefully, very soon that we begin to see a curve on this.”

CSP Dames said there are some 104 COVID ambassadors in New Providence and more than 40 assisting officers.