PM grants ease for Tobago flights, Buccoo Reef, Caroni Swamp tours

The health restrictions implemented to slow down the spread of covid19 have been eased by the Prime Minister. And if the decrease in new cases continue, more areas of society will be reopened in two weeks.

In a press conference at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s on Saturday afternoon, Dr Rowley said the number of people allowed at public gatherings  will increase to ten, and up to 20 at funerals.

In addition, flights between Trinidad and Tobago will be increased to six from two. And Buccoo Reef and Caroni Swamp boat tours willbe allowed to restart as long as people wear masks and physically distance themselves.

He said public service interaction will remain at 50 per cent but because people took advantage of the work-from-home arrangements, the head of the public service will create a written roster and anyone not present at the office when rostered would be deemed absent and not be paid.

He revealed that one public service department usually had 2,500 transactions a month but completed only 62 last month.

“We just can’t have that, because the public service, as it says, is servicing the country. And if we allow that to happen we are pretty much accidentally, surreptitiously, or unwittingly shutting down the public service, with all kinds of consequences.”

Rowley added that churches, bars and restaurants will remain closed. However, if the decrease in new positive cases continue, they could possibly reopen in two weeks.

He said a large portion of people who partake in religious services were the elderly, who are vulnerable to covid19 and he did not want to expose them unnecessarily.

“It is our view that if there is no significant upward tick in our concentrations (of covid19) now, by the 24th of this month, we should be able to make the changes that would bring back activities into the two areas I just mentioned."