Bartica town council enforces ‘Stay Home’ advisory
─Recommends only essential movement through town
─Closes sports venues, bus and car parks
─Waives rental fee for Market vendors
DPI, Guyana, Saturday, March 28, 2020
The Bartica Town Council has put into effect a “Stay Home” advisory as of 18:00hrs (6 pm) on March 28, 2020. This comes as the government continues to work to stop the transmission of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) disease in Guyana.
His Worship Mayor Gifford Marshall told DPI the advisory is among the measures being implemented by the Regional Health Emergency Committee to oversee actions against COVID-19.
“It is not a curfew; it is not a lockdown…. But we are calling on all Barticians and by extension the residents of Region Seven to do two things; be on the road for work purposes only and two only be on the road to access essential services,” Mayor Marshall said.
“We cannot afford an outbreak in this beautiful town and by extension the region,” he emphasised.
The advisory will be in effect for two weeks from March 28 to April 10, 2020. The orders which take effect from 6pm March 28 are as follows:
- The immediate closure of all public sporting venues utilized for sports and recreation namely the Bartica Sports Complex, Mongrippa playfield, other recreational parks.
- Closure of taxi parks, bus parks, and taxi catchment points.
The advisory also recommended that taxis be contacted through their bases or direct lines; all taxi bases must ensure drivers do not gather but instead receive directives for pick up from home; buses are allowed to work but on rotation arrangement and there must be no assembling at the park.
To ensure social distancing is being implemented the advisory also recommends that there is no gathering at bars, restaurants and barbershops or salons; proprietors must engage customers through minimal contact options eg: delivery, order to pick up; proprietors can engage customers and schedule appointments that will not encourage the gathering of more than five persons at a location for long durations
Essential businesses such as pharmacies and supermarkets would remain open to the public but proprietors must take necessary measures to ensure management of the number of persons allowed to access service in the building at a time; the utilisation of sanitization stations for persons entering and leaving the building and regular sanitization of the facility
During these two weeks, the Bartica Town Council is advising residents to stay at home and only be on the roadways if they are utilising essential services or transiting to and from work.
Cognisant of the implications these measures will have on small businesses especially those in the marketplaces the Council is has granted a waiver of all monthly fees due for April and May 2020, for all stall holding vendors.
Mayor Marshall assured that implementation of the advisory will be effective as the regional administration and health authorities collaborate to prevent the spread of COVID-19.