Vendors, shoppers in PoS: WE HADDA LIVE

"WE HADDA LIVE"

This was the justification of many people – vendors and shoppers alike – who crowded several streets in Port of Spain on Friday morning, most notably on Charlotte and Queen streets, in defiance of the state's stay-at-home advisories.

Hundreds of people, some wearing face masks and others wearing none, mingled closely with each other as they shopped for fresh produce being sold from the trunks of cars, the trays of vans and from supermarket trolleys.

Other people were seen on Queen Street stooping low on the pavement to get into variety stores whose steel pull-down shutters were opened half-way, to make it appear to the casual observer, watching from a distance, as if these stores were closed.

Roadside vendors told Newsday that another trick some clothing stores used was to have a worker stand outside on the pavement to manually raise the shutters to allow customers in and then pull the shutters back down to make it appear that the store was closed.

Though stay-at-home orders remain in place, people along Charlotte, Queen and George streets gathered en masse on Friday to buy produce from roadside vendors from as early as 8 am.

On lower Charlotte Street, by 2 pm, most shoppers had already bought their goods and left the city, while Frederick and Henry streets were mostly empty.

Newsday went to Charlotte Street and spoke to a mask vendor who identified himself only as "Dexter," who attributed the increase in volume of shoppers to desperation for the basic necessities.

"It's approaching month-end. Some people already got paid, so we can expect to see a lot of shoppers on the street today and on the weekend.

"At the end of the day, people just have to live. I as a vendor can't afford to stay home and let the world pass me by, just like these people can't stay home and wait for the government to feed them. They have to come out and find their way."

When Newsday went to Charlotte Street, just before 1 pm, there were a large number of people walking on the pavement, buying goods from roadside vendors and waiting in line to enter pharmacies.

Speaking with Newsday, 78-year-old shopper Carl Williams said while he could sympathise with the needs of some shoppers, he felt social distancing was not being observed in some essential businesses and on the street.

"I can't really judge anyone, because at the end of the day my circumstances aren't the same as theirs but I felt that they could have been a little more responsible in how they were going out and buying their goods.

"A lot of people aren't keeping apart, there are some people walking in a big group going God alone knows where. I think they should obey the stay-at-home orders, because they are there for all of our safety."

In a media release on Thursday, Police Commissioner Gary Griffith said "police can't police stupidity" as he responded to people touting their constitutional right to freedom of movement, in the face of stay-at-home advisories to minimise the spread of coronavirus.

He said “The very few who insist that it is their right to be irresponsible by going where they please, are admitting that had it been a SOE (state of emergency), they would have no issue of adhering to what is directed and remain indoors.

"This is equivalent to a spoilt, untrained child that needs to be shouted at and ordered not to do the wrong thing, upon which he would comply. But he would want to do the wrong thing if he has his way, if there were no rules to direct him. The police can’t police stupidity."

He said while some people believe they have a constitutional right to do wrong, he as police commissioner has a constitutional right to protect some people from themselves and their own misguided actions, whilst doing it within the law.

Newsday spoke to Senior Superintendent of the Port of Spain Division Daniel Moore, who said he was aware of the increase in volume of people in downtown on Friday, and while the police were working to reduce the numbers of people on the street, they were not always effective in getting people to comply.

"We are more on a persuasive drive because of the situation in the country to make it safer for everyone. That's the most we can do, because our hands are tied, we can't arrest anyone for that. If we really find you wandering around with nothing to do we can arrest you for loitering, but that's the most we can do.

"I wanted to see a law passed to restrict the consumption of alcohol in public, because people can buy their alcohol by the store and go and drink it across the street, I will like them to consider that restriction to clamp down on the public gatherings."

On Friday afternoon Moore and a team of police from the Port of Spain Division walked through Charlotte Street and along Independence Square where he dispersed crowds of people who gathered and reminded others of the importance of social distancing.

Newsday spoke to one of the people who were cautioned by the police who said he understood the reason for social distancing but admitted it was difficult to obey as he was accustomed to liming with friends along the Brian Lara Promenade on Friday afternoons.

"It was a lapse on my part, but I've been home a while and I just kind of slipped back into liming when I had to get some things in the grocery, but it's really hard to break old habits."

Newsday contacted Port of Spain Mayor Joel Martinez for comment. He said he was not aware of the increase and wanted to see the number of people for himself during a tour scheduled for later on Friday afternoon.