By: Chaïra Flanders
Basseterre, St. Kitts, May 1, 2020 (ZIZ News): Chair of the National COVID-19 Task Force, Abdias Samuel is warning businesses to comply with regulations in compliance with SR&O 15 of 2020.
The Taskforce has already inspected a total of 285 businesses to ensure that they are in compliance with the law which aims to help curtail the spread of the Novel Coronavirus.
During the April 30 National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC) COVID-19 Daily Briefing, Mr. Samuel shared some statistics which highlighted than just a little more than half of these businesses were not following the regulations.
“Businesses adhering to 6 feet of distancing, 42 out of 79 visited. Those who have markers inside and outside of the businesses, only 40 out of the 78 visited. [For] Personal Hygiene as I read here, these numbers are more acceptable than before”, he said.
He said that one supermarket in particular did not meet any of the regulations and gave that business some words of advice.
“Only one supermarket had no compliance whatsoever. That is not good. I am appealing to this supermarket; you know who you are. If you are listening please become compliant. As of next week, we will be enforcing the law to its fullest extent”, he explained.
Over the past two weeks, the compliance task force has been evaluating and educating all business owners, institutions and enterprises. Mr. Samuel used the opportunity to warn businesses for the last time about violating the regulations.
“If we have to shut you down, we will shut you down in the interest of public safety”, Samuel warned.
The Enforcement and Compliance Teams are made up of representatives from various agencies including the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force, St. Kitts-Nevis Defence Force, the St. Kitts and Nevis Fire and Rescue Service, Her Majesty’s Customs and Excise Department, the Department of Consumer Affairs, and the Department of Labour.