Restrictions placed on religious gatherings

Days after the Prime Minister warned that a “heavy hand” could be felt by religious groups who failed to heed calls to exercise social distancing to reduce the spread of the covid19 virus, Government has placed restrictions on religious gatherings. The regulations are expected to expire on April 30 unless revoked.

Religious services, with more than ten people in attendance, are now among the list of restricted activities under The Public Health 2019 Novel Coronavirus regulations.

Notice of this was sent to the media on Sunday in a statement from the Ministry of Communications.

The notice said, it is now an offence “to conduct religious or ecclesiastical services or other religious gatherings where the number of persons participating therein exceeds ten.” This updated regulation replaces the notice issued on March 19. This comes after it was reported that some members of the clergy were encouraging people to gather for worship. Dr Rowley had asked churches and other groups to stop congregating, but some religious groups and organisations failed to heed the call.

Even before the updated regulation was issued, a number of churches in Port of Spain heeded the call and remained closed.

Newsday’s team walked through Port of Spain on Sunday and saw the doors and gates to several churches closed. The Holy Trinity Cathedral on Abercromby Street, The St John’s London Baptist Church on Pembroke Street, the Universal Church on Broadway, and Miracle and Healing Explosion on Frederick Street were among them.

There was no service at the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception but its doors were open. There was no one inside. The RC and Anglican churches had announced prior to the regulations that masses would be suspended.

Churches instead used digital and other platforms to minister to their congregants. One such church using the online platform was the Trinidad Christian Center.

Pastor Kelvin Siewdass said the church at Corner Morne Coco and Simeon Roads, Petit Valley streamed its main Sunday morning service and saw a viewership of 2,446 on YouTube. There were even viewers from Canada, Guadeloupe and Africa. Many people were happy to have at least been able to be part of a church service, he said.

Siewdass said even people who do not attend the church’s assembly received the link from friends and joined the online service.

He said while the church believes God will answer prayer, it also sought to be responsible and to do the responsible thing to society as well.

Siewdass said streamed services were done in the past and was not a huge adjustment for the church.

“We see the potential of it...we do it in a very limited way already but it has opened our eyes a little more to what the potential is,” he said of having more streamed services in the future.

Siewdass did not wish to speak to what other churches were doing, but said people should be responsible.

“It is a temporary thing. It is not a permanent thing. It is not that we are being denied to serve Jesus Christ, and it is not that the authorities are saying that we are not to serve Jesus Christ. If that was the case, we would make a stand in that way.”

He said that he believes at the end of it, the church would be better off.

“People would be hungrier to be in the house of the Lord. People had the freedom to come into the house of God and worship and sometimes people take that for granted. And in one week’s time that was kind of taken away in a manner of speaking.

“I think the value of coming together in the house of the Lord, people would cherish it more and it will have more value to them. Now that they see how fickle life can be.”