CoP: Police won't be biased towards any covid19 rule-breaker

The police will not be biased or lenient towards businesses or NGOs acting against the Public Health Ordinance regulations.In a media release on Friday, Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith said businesses that may be operating in breach of the regulations will be investigated and closed. People who continue to open their businesses after a warning by the police will be charged. He confirmed that all cloth stores are to remain closed unless amendments are made to the regulations, even though it is now policy for everyone to wear masks in public.

He pointed this out in reference to a Newsday report on Jimmy Aboud's fabric store on Queen Street in Port of Spain, which remained open even after a police visit on Thursday. Newsday had contacted him for comment. The CoP had told Newsday on Thursday that he was unwilling to comment on a particular business, and explained why.

In his release he explained further: “In no way would police allow any form of bias towards enforcing the law and closure of any specific business and allowing another similar business to remain open. The relevant authorities of the TTPS cannot be everywhere."He criticised Newsday for the report, suggesting this paper had asked him for a comment "in the need for a juicy story," and said it should simply have reported the store to the police instead.

Griffith said, "Newsday should note that the CoP may not be aware of every store that is opened and every store that is not, and he cannot, and should not be giving an explanation every time there is a query of a store being opened or one being ordered to shut down."

He said police would appreciate it if all concerned members of the public, "including the Newsday," report businesses or groups breaching the law instead of “complaining, questioning, and making accusations that some stores are being 'allowed' to open while similar stores selling similar products are directed to be closed.”

He described this as a "legitimate concern" as opposed to "acquiring a story."

He also cautioned those offering help to people affected by covid19 that police will intervene if the law is being broken. The law cannot be broken in this effort, he said, and “crying and complaining about actions made (sic) by the police would not deter the TTPS from adhering to their role and function.”

He asked the public to report any business or group breaching the law, by contacting 555, or by sending messages, photographs or videos to 482 GARY, or via the TTPS app.