BVI News

No mixed mingling in bars/clubs! Barriers required for exotic dancers

By Kamal Haynes, BVI News

As part of the new protocols for local bars, pubs and nightclubs, groups of persons patronising these establishments will be required to remain within their respective circles and will be prohibited from coming into contact with all other persons.

This is according to Chief Environmental Health Officer (CEHO), Lionel Michael who told BVI News the new protocols also include erecting barriers in nightclubs to restrict access to exotic dancers.

“People can’t sit there and have close contact with dancers as before. Some nightclubs have put in barriers around that area,” the CEHO stated. 

“Social-distancing measures are forefront like where you can have people by the nightclub dancing area — the pole and so forth — all of that have been drastically reduced in the new measures.”

For other bar and club workers such as disk jockeys, Michael said “plexiglass has to be in front of them now”.

He explained that this is to ensure when they are singing or talking to customers, their “droplets would not come in contact with people”.

Conditions of access

But for persons to be granted access into these establishments in the first place, Michael said they must be wearing protective face coverings, which must only be removed when eating or drinking.

Upon entry, all persons must have their hands sanitised. Hand sanitisers will be provided by the bar, pub, or nightclub.

“When they get inside the bar now, we expect them to demonstrate a high degree of responsibility in terms of who they interact with. If they go with a group of four or five persons, they will stay with that group, and this is one of the new things. They have to stay at the designated area, either standing area or seating area. They cannot move unless they are going to the bathrooms,” he stated.

“So, if you go to the bar and you know me and you see me standing with a group of five, you cannot come over and join us because you did not come with us. So a group of five, four, or three must stay together at a designated area where you do everything right there. You dance, you eat, you talk right there, you can’t move around and socialise at the bar and interact with other people who you haven’t visited the bar with,” he explained.

Plexiglass needed at bar counters too

Michael further stressed on the need for barriers to be placed at bar counters; facilitating a safe environment for workers when interacting with customers.

“If you want to sit at the bar itself, stools and chairs must be six feet apart and there must be plexiglass at the counter of the bar. Where bars are not ready in terms of putting in plexiglass at the countertops, they cannot have anyone sit at the table at the countertop or they will attract a fine of $1,000,” he stated.

The introduction of these new protocols stems from recent data which showed that a percentage of the recent positive COVID-19 cases in the territory came from the aforementioned establishments.

To date, a total of 31 bars and five nightclubs have been inspected and approved for opening by the Environmental Health Department.

BVI COVID-19 Stats:
Confirmed cases – 72
Active cases – 1
Recoveries – 70
Deaths – 1
Number of Persons Tested – 5461

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41 Comments

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  1. Pandora's Box says:

    Government has us all like puppets on strings. Wonder what more control we will let those we elected take from us? Our silence empowers them more and more every day!

    Like 21
    Dislike 24
    • THE VIEW says:

      ITS LIKE THAT ALL OVER THE WORLD. STOP BEING STUPID. THE GOVERNMENT IS DOING THE RIGHT THING. ITS WORSE IN SOME COUNTRIES. SOME STRIP CLUBS ARENT OPEN AT ALL. STOP TRYING TO BASH THE GOVERNMENT. TORTOLA PEOPLE ARE SO HARD TO PLEASE. IGNORANT SET OF PEOPLE.

      Like 33
      Dislike 13
      • Doh says:

        I think it is fantastic that our government knows the intimate details of how a strip club operates. Their “investigation” on its operations is quite detailed I am sure. I am certain the inspection took many, many man hours involving multiple officials watching the employees perform to determine safe policies. ?

        I hoped they tipped well. Jus sayin

        Carry on

        Like 38
    • LOL says:

      The new red light district LMAO

      Like 11
      Dislike 1
  2. Inspections says:

    I am sure Lionel Michael will do regular inspections to make sure the lady clubs are clean

    Like 19
  3. waste ah time says:

    Will he be there to see that all these are really happening?

    Like 17
    Dislike 2
    • @waste says:

      No, he doesn’t have to be there. children. There’s something call social responsibility. If you don’t exercise it, you will lose the right to enjoy it. You’ll stay home and watch the ladies on television. Treat you like children. That simple!

      Like 11
      Dislike 7
    • Lol says:

      This is some of the absolute dumbest ish I have heard seen and read! First of all, since when did Strip Clubs become legal? Secondly the only clubs are strip clubs? There are regular clubs/discotheques which you have allowed to open. So how are people supposed to dance with each other? Thirdly, the waitresses all leave behind the bar to bring patrons their drinks and will be moving from table to table interacting with the various guests and cross contaminating. Fourthly, everybody breathing the same recycled air. What plexi glass supposed to do? Fifth y, my group could easily be made up of 4 different households, all who interacted with 4 other households. We meet up at the bar and sit in our plexi glass jail cells and cross contaminate each other. Get up to use the bathroom where people from other plexiglass jail cells are also using the bathroom or going to the bar to place our orders and cross contaminating there.

      Lastly, stop the freaking fear mongering and nonsensical measures. Use frigging common sense and stop having these businesses jump through dumb azz hoops just so you can feel relevant and empowered. These people don’t even be on the streets or socialize with regular everyday people in order to get a better understanding of how things work, before coming up with these foolish and ineffective measures.

      One is a dead and his sidekick done get physically kicked out of several gyms and lost her membership because she has no idea how to deal or communicate with people. Schewpes.

      Like 29
      Dislike 4
  4. Enforcement? says:

    While I applaud the efforts here you know damn well NONE of this will be enforced. Bar staff prohibiting customers from mingling with other customers? hahahah yeah right. Next you can tell me about the helmet laws being enforced. What a joke.

    Like 38
    Dislike 2
    • Reply says:

      LOL. Agreed. I cannot imagine the government up in bars looking to see who are socially mingling. Seems not the best use of their time.

      More importantly, they can forget about not mingling and socially distancing when it comes to bars where I presume alcohol will still be served. People go to bars and strip clubs to mingle among other things.

      Social distancing and alcohol does not mix.

      I know when I have had a cocktail in the past, the last thing on my mind was keeping my distance. Indeed, by the nature of alcohol I wanted to do the opposite…mingle and MINGLE as my inhibitions relaxed.

      Add a few women on a pole shaking their wares, plexiglass or not, I’m trying to get to the front to get my eye full, and I’m sure I will not be alone at the front.

      So I doubt this enforcement will work, and as you so rightly pointed out, if they cannot police the bikers to wear helmets to save their lives, does one think there will be any enforcement in a bar or strip club with thirsty men? Please.

      Like 22
  5. No nonsense says:

    If I remember clearly, the stamp at ports of entry states ” gainfully employed” is this gainfully employment or more of the negative social ills!!

  6. Heckler says:

    I hope they will have cellophane paper to put on the laps of the “gentlemen” getting the lap dances

    Like 7
    Dislike 1
  7. Comment says:

    These places should remain closed, period!

    Like 18
    Dislike 10
    • @Comment says:

      Working the poles is NONESSENTIAL. You allowing dirty funky women to shake their nasty behinds and spreading their legs and getting pawed up for a few pennies that is thrown to them. So tell me are these pole workers required to get STD testing each Month from the board of Health? You nasty dirty disgusting men up in pole dancers faces and them want to go home and lay down next to your wives. If there was a all male dancers strip club open for women only it would be a problem right?

      Like 19
      Dislike 8
    • Father Time says:

      @Comment

      Girl shut up. We are trying to cheat in peace.

      Like 12
      Dislike 7
  8. Passion of Christ says:

    So wait wait…. for my 20 bucks no rubbing crotches and sucking breasteses? Naw naw man this can’t be life.

    Like 5
    Dislike 8
    • Damn man@Passion of Christ says:

      Is that how you as a man, no call yourself a man DEGRADE AND DISRESPECT WOMEN? HONESTLY, IF SOMEONE SAID THAT ABOUT YOUR MOTHER OR A FEMALE MEMBER OF YOUR FAMILY HOW WOULD YOU TAKE IT? SO SAD THAT FEMALES HAVE TO DEGRADE THEMSELVES AT THE HANDS OF DIRTY MEN TO MAKE A DOLLAR. I WOULD SWEEP THE STREETS OR PICK UP CANS FOR MONEY BEFORE I ALLOW A DIRTY FUNKY MAN TO DISRESPECT ME OR MY BODY LIKE THAT. AFTER THE STRIPPER LIFE, YOUR BODY IS WORN OUT AND TIRED DAMAGED GOODS.

      Like 4
      Dislike 2
      • Doh says:

        Don’t be a fool.

        These women are there working on their own accord. No one is forcing them to perform. They CHOSE to work there. THEY call the shots, THEY are in control.

        I’m sorry but you know nothing about the business. While I do not agree with it nor ever frequent these places, degradation is only in your own eyes. Open them to see what’s really occurring.

    • @ Passion of Christ says:

      You getting plenty for $20.00 yuh cheap a$$. You should just watch and no touch.

    • @ Passion of Christ says:

      DO NOT BLASPHEME CHRIST’S NAME HERE TALKING NASTINESS

  9. Wow! says:

    A typical low IQ statement from a typical religious puritan.

    Like 3
    Dislike 5
  10. Were in the BVI says:

    So where is this bar in the photo? I want to go!!! Ho bars in VG not this swanky.

    Like 2
    Dislike 2
  11. SXM says:

    That bar is not even oin this country its in St Maarten

  12. Degrading says:

    So the BVI gives out work permits to young women, so that they can come in and be degraded by men ogling and pawing at them? Shame on you!

    As this is such a God fearing place, I was real surprised to read on Wikipedia that “Prostitution is legal in the British Virgin Islands, but related activities such as soliciting and procuring are illegal. Known prostitutes or those known to be living off the proceeds of prostitution can be refused entry visas to the country. Prostitution occurs mainly in brothels and strip clubs, especially in the capital, Road Town. The National AIDS Programme distributes condoms and advice to the sex workers.”

    Like 16
    Dislike 3
  13. Jokes says:

    This is all foolishness. If I work at a law firm with 60 people, ok we take precautions to distance, sanitize etc. as best as we can but at the end of the day, we use the same rest rooms and with ac offices with no windows for fresh air, we are still exposed. So 10 of the workers go to one establishment as a group. 5 others who were in the office THE SAME DAY with the other 10, cannot join them because they didn’t arrive at the same time? And which bar or club owner is going to chase customers? I think what should be done is restricting capacity until we can be comfortable with COVID. No major events just people allowing to enjoy the bar atmosphere with some restrictions. Let each establishment know how many people they are allowed and that’s it. All the other stuff about being in plexi cages is just stupid and will not work.

  14. Tell me this says:

    I thought stripping was illegal in the BVI hmm?

    Like 4
    Dislike 2
  15. Hot Line Number says:

    Mr. Michael I recommend that there should be a anonymous hotline number that persons can call to report these bars and clubs. I am for sure that owners and social distancing officers would not enforce the guidelines.

    Let us call anonymously and make a report. Some patrons are taking Covid seriously while others think it’s a joke.

    We call and you respond.

    Better yet send us your number so you can come yourself. It seem as though you will get the job done by ensuring the owners comply.

    Like 3
    Dislike 5
  16. Night Deposit says:

    Whether it cheap or steep…meowing or growling… cat must sell…..

  17. Lap Dancer says:

    Is lap dancing allowed? If yes , what are the measures?
    What about night clubs with DJ’s ? Are we allowed to dance or not(like wuking up jam style) or we are suppose to dance six feet apart?

    Last week I watched an video where Bill Gates said “We are trying to create the world that we want”
    MASK , SOCIAL DISTANCING ,VACINE. HMMMM.

  18. J says:

    Who is stupid enough to to believe that these guidelines in terms of social distancing will be enforced? They don’t make sense! I think that they were provided to appease the public that measures were being put in place. However, it will be impossible to enforce the measures.

  19. Quantum says:

    That’s some like covid-19 upgrade in the BVI stop it its cold or flu we have for years among us stop pushing your people to take vaccine to go back to normal

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