Following the imposition of curfew on the entire island from Saturday, March 28 to Tuesday, March 31, the government has approved a sanction of $10,000 penalty or 12 months imprisonment for erring members of the public.
Minister of Health, Dr. Irving McIntyre, said it became necessary to implement these sanctions because people are not complying with government orders for people to stay at home. Governments all over the world in countries infected with coronavirus order people to stay put at home in order to contain the spread of the pandemic.
But many Dominicans are flouting the curfew, and McIntyre said this is bad to the entire populace.
“This action is detrimental to the health, well being and lives of our people and cannot, therefore, be permitted to continue unchecked,” Dr. McIntyre declared. “It has, therefore, become necessary for the government of Dominica to take stronger legislative action to protect the nation and its residents. It is in the best interest of all of us in Dominica that we all heed the guidance and requests of the health authorities.”
The legislature amended the Environmental Health Services Act No. 8 of 1997 to include new COVID-19 measures and regulations. The new general regulations pertain to the isolation of infected or suspect cases of coronavirus, tracing and monitoring contacts, and notification of health authorities of symptomatic cases among other provisions. These also include closure of schools and borders as well as handling of people who just came into the country from abroad.
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