PM: No bias in food shutdown

THE Prime Minister said no specific type of food had been targeted in recent prohibitions on the vending of food, as the public debate raged as to why established fast-food chains were selling takeaways, but doubles vendors had been shut down.

At a briefing on Monday at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s, Dr Rowley gave an update on the national lockdown against the covid19 pandemic.

He said as of Tuesday all restaurants must close.

Without naming any type of food, Rowley touched on the controversy.

“The conversation about who could sell food has become a matter of ‘ethnic exploitation’ by some people who have no intention of helping us with this problem, but to create as much manima as they could.”

Saying regulations never spoke of any particular menu, he said the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) said street food can pose a health risk and the Government is saying because of the risk of community spread of the virus at this point, certain closures should take place.

“Nobody spoke about the menu of any particular ethnic group.

“Restaurants were told, if you are going to serve food, do not entertain people consuming on the compound and there’s to be no in-house dining.

"Today the position is: restaurants are to be closed from tomorrow.

“What we want out of all of this, malice to none, illwill to none, is that the individual human being will reduce their exposure and potential to become infected.”

Earlier, CMO Dr Roshan Parasram said that up to now no law had banned the sale of street food, but itinerant vendors had been found to be slightly more of a health risk than non-itinerant.

Minister of National Security Stuart Young said fishermen may continue to go out fishing as they are exempt from the covid19 lockdown.

He said the fishermen may also vend but must ensure proper social distancing.