Relax curfew closer to midnight! Penn accuses gov’t of ‘hindering businesses from making profit’
Opposition Leader Marlon Penn
Opposition Leader Marlon Penn is criticising the Andrew Fahie administration for “hinder[ing] local businesses from doing business and making profits”.
In a press statement on Tuesday, May 26, Penn, called on government to further relax the current curfew so businesses such as restaurants can operate late-night hours that run closer to midnight.
He said if restaurants were allowed to operate until 10 or 11 pm, they would be able to “implement a strict reservation policy in efforts to adhere to social distancing guidelines”.
The Opposition Leader said such a move only serves to create more employment for the territory.
“Restaurants not only require reassurance from government but they also need a fighting chance to survive the COVID-19 crisis. The severe impact of restaurants in the territory not being able to open for dinner has resulted in servers, dishwashers, cooks, bartenders and supervisors/managers finding themselves without a job,” Penn stated.
No local spikes or clusters of COVID-19
He reasoned that that government can afford to further relax the current 7 pm to 6 am curfew considering that there have been no spikes or clusters of COVID-19 transmission locally.
The Opposition Leader further argued that “the disruption in business due to the decline in traffic to restaurants has caused irreparable harm, leaving businesses saddled with debt”.
Just recently, members of the Opposition proposed their own version of a COVID-19 Economic Recovery Plan.
Premier Fahie, however, contends that his government already has a coronavirus economic stimulus-response which it is rolling out in phases to not cause an outbreak of COVID-19.
READ: One wrong move could mean shutting down and restarting again
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Hon, Marlon are you aware that because of early curfew crime is down
Just thought a criminal doesn’t need it to be early or late if they intend to commit a crime I agree with Marlon with this one open untill 11 or 12 to give certain businesses a fighting chance and the same allow persons to earn money. So premier next 14 days extend the hours and let the country know that Base on the recommedation of the opposition leader this was done.
And if we banned all motor vehicles there would be no accidents
Wait – let’s ban the ocean too, too many drownings
The VIP only care about their cronies, especially those with businesses
I agree with Hon. Penn, but why stop at 10 or 11pm? What science is dictating any sort of curfew currently? Why is the government making it a crime to be out past 7pm? This needs to be explained.
There is no evidence of community transmission. People are socializing all day long. We have 50 persons allowed in church. So what is any sort of curfew now achieving other than affecting small businesses? If 50 people are allowed in a church until 7pm, what is the difference with 50 people in a bar until 1am?
Bars should remain closed as people will not social distance in them
Ofcourse their wouldn’t when intoxicated
The curfew exists because the people act like savages. Their brain matter can’t hardly remember their own names no less remember to wear a mask and social distance themselves. However according to the Foy there are no cases in the Territory so why the need for anything. The reality is that there are cases, the politicians constantly lie and they are not being disclosed and you all need to be kept in line by curfews.
Why is there is a 7pm curfew. What does this achieve? If there is to be a restriction on liberty where you have to be in your home for 11 hours every day, then there must be a clear scientific reason for this. There has not been any attempt to explain why our freedom is being restricted in such a way.
Is there really a scientific reason for a curfew when we were locked down for almost 3 weeks, the borders have been closed and there does not seem to be any transmission or new cases?
I think is time for government neef to implement curfew on motor bike 6am to 6pm.
Guess u had a hint too?all bikes will be ban from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm and curfew until 10:00 pm to 6:00 am, can’t wait for this.
Ofcourse their wouldn’t when intoxicated
“dishwashers, cooks, bartenders and supervisors/managers,” bar owners and their employees also all need to begin earning a living, and it can be done. No rocket scientist or degreed individual needed to figure how.
churches and their pulpit bandits are allowed to open and do business and make money, bars should be allowed to open and make money to. Fair is fair.
Bar owners are payinv rent since February without any sale. These businesses needs to survive. Extending the hours to 11 pm will allow them to survive and a number of people who will not otherwise qualify for assistant will be able to earn for themselves.
I disagree with your point. Yes they paying rent since february with no income coming in due to lack of closure but balance everything out. If 50 percent of the community use to hang out at these spots and drink them lil rum here and there eith the seriousness of this virus and lack of work for some personell how much out of that 50 percent you think will visit these places. I will say bout 20percent if soo much and my friend with 20 percent you CANNOT SURVIVE..
you want to die of 19? or make a little on the side for now? sounds like Penn has a late night establishment investment?
Right so stay home and hide from COVID and die from heart disease instead.
Government done explained numerous times as to why the curfew. Now having the BVI Covid 19 free. I suggest let things run how it runing right now and if in 2 weeks time we remain covid free then open the island fully as normal but keeping all boarders closed. Covid 19 will only come into the BVI if someone brings it here. ONE BVI. WE IN THIS TOGETHER
You said, “I suggest let things run how it runing right now and if in 2 weeks time we remain covid free then open the island fully as normal but keeping all boarders closed. Covid 19 will only come into the BVI if someone brings it here.”
That last sentence. Do you realize your statement before your last sentence is pointless since most cases arise from travellers bringing it in?
Tell that to us on virgin Gorda, ignoring the bank heist just before curfew, 2 robberies and a shot officer since, crime is not down.
that officer was out springbay on a **** ****! come on its common sense.
And the two robberies?
No curfew at all needed
Marlon this is not a good look, you are better than this. Even before there was a Covid19 how many restaurants were closing at 11pm and 12 am. Very few, only food vendors you can find at those hours. This is probably about helping out your friends that work at or own bars. Very few businesses are open at those specific times besides nightclubs and bars.
To the morons that are saying if we can allow people to be out at 7pm what does this achieve. Are y’all that dumb or forgetful? While the objective is to protect residents from the virus it is unsustainable and irrational to keep people locked up for 24/7 for the long term. We tried that and y’all cried about food, garbage, exercise and everything else. They cant lock us all away forever as we have to make a living, services have to be provided, we need to be able to buy food etc. Government cant afford to pay for garbage collection and provide food for everyone and the grocery stores do not have the ability to provide deliveries for the entire island so they have to take a gamble and let us out.
They are hoping that people follow the guidelines to minimize the risk since they cant keep us indoors forever. It is common sense that if you out until only 7pm the risk for not only covid19 but anything else is greatly reduced than if we were allowed to roam about until a later time. Simple common sense.
Have to agree. 9 or 10 would do. Restaurants are dying.
@GTFOH ……… AGREED!!!
@GTFOH
I could not agree more to what you said. You have from 6am to 7pm daily thats a 13 hours a day span. After 7pm i really don’t see the use of persons being on the road HONESTLY SPEAKING because after 7pm 80% of the businesses you see opened is mainly bars, night clubs which is equal to not being a living need to sustained yourself or your family throughout this pandemic.Just my 2 scents.
Not true most restaurants close at 10pm!
Given the fact that people have been socializing for weeks and there has been no new cases and the territory has been deemed Covid 19 free the curfew should definitely be relaxed.
I agree with all the comments, just remember when things goes wrong we pointing one finger at the government and not the Governor so lets think deep in this pandemic the Governor have a big role in this country when comes to security so lets not blame the premier. Opposition leader please don’t try to fool the people cause if you was in the driver seat like Andrew, you would have to listen to the Governor cause he is in charge of security……..point blank.so let us try to keep the BVI covid-19 free.we don’t want to be like our fellow country DR which is rising every hour with Covid-19 cases.
GTFOH, does your personal liberty as a human being, endowed to you and me by God, not by man, mean nothing to you? Is it because you live in a colony that you have this “I will take whatever time they let me out” mentality? How sad!
I realize that sometimes we are not allowed to do everything that we think we should do and that’s ok. Liberty does not mean total freedom to go where you want, when you want. There are many restrictions that prevent our liberty to and from person to person, house to house, country to country. If this was a permanent action I would have my molotov cocktail ready for war but I am very reasonable. I understand why it is being done and I know it wont last for too long just like 2017.
The curfew from 2017 was a lot longer even after the threat of the hurricane had long passed. Did you feel like your personal liberty was violated or did you accept that the reason for the curfew justified the actions taken.
All u low life day workers forget that people work at hight too and have bill and rent to pay I agree the curfue do need to relax cause the Bill’s and rent still coming and the government ain’t doing sh×× about that
People need to wake up , this whole thing is a setup , think outside the box please, stop watching and listening to CNN and Fox News , the numbers are fake everything is fake , Science and Technology is light years ahead , if they can drop a bomb on you using a drone from thousands of miles away , how possibly they cannot cure a simple virus ?
Hon Penn is pleasing his friends. Check the places he hang out. He is playing politics
You cemented yourself to never get my vote