By Sue-Ann Wayow
WITH an increase in Covid-19 cases, Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith will not be granting permission for vigils and marches.
He is also advising both the Christian and the Shouter Baptist communities to ensure that they adhere to the Public Health Ordinance regulations with their upcoming events next week.
The Spiritual Shouter Baptist Liberation Day will be celebrated on March 30, while the Christian Community will commemorate Easter celebrations beginning with the Good Friday processions on April 2.
The CoP is asking the organisers to be more innovative, and instead of gathering in their hundreds, to have virtual events, including the Stations of the Cross processions, the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) stated in a press release on Thursday.
And no more requests will be granted for vigils or marches.
Griffith said, “We are not in normal times. This month marked one year since the virus has been with us.
“So far, 141 persons have died as a result of the virus and thousands were affected. The borders have been closed and there are restrictions in place to protect the country.
“We have noticed over the past year, some events with large gatherings caused a spike in cases. The TTPS has been on the front line ensuring that people observe the restrictions and adhere to the protocols.
“I know these upcoming events always attracted thousands of people, but this time, we have to be careful. I am asking the organisers of these events to ensure that their followers do the right thing.”
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Griffith added that he has been very accommodating to persons and groups who requested permission to hold vigils, protests, meetings, and marches. He said he agreed to grant permission across the board because of the issues highlighted across the country, particularly, relating to the recent deaths of several women.
However, some of these requests for gatherings turned out to be in contravention of the Public Health Ordinance Regulations, Section 3 (1), which states, that a person shall not, without reasonable justification be found at any public place where the number of persons gathered, at any time, exceeds ten.
Griffith said he noticed recent gatherings accounted for hundreds of persons even though the organisers of these events tried their very best to control the crowd which had gathered. And as a result, the CoP says he would not be entertaining any requests at this time for hold vigils and marches.
