Rowley: Dine but don’t drink alcohol

Restaurants have been allowed to reopen their doors to dining customers but they may not serve alcohol.

The Prime Minister made the announcement, as well as the slackening of restrictions on other sectors, on Saturday in a press conference at the Diplomatic Centre in St Ann’s.

Dr Rowley said restaurants can have in-house dining at 50 per cent capacity with groups of no more than ten people. No alcohol is to be served as, he believes, alcohol reduces people’s level of responsibility. In that vein, the restrictions on bars remain so they can serve alcohol but customers are not allowed to gather and drink on the premises.

Cinemas are to continue operating at 50 per cent capacity but food and drink can be sold and consumed there. He expects people to keep their masks on when not eating. Conversely, casinos and members clubs are still not allowed to serve food or drinks.

He said patrons and owners both have the responsibility to ensure protocols are followed.

In addition, Rowley asked Caribbean Airlines to schedule more flights to and from Trinidad and Tobago based on demand. Physical distancing and mask wearing in terminals and on planes are expected to be enforced.

Lastly, he said services at places of worship can be extended from one hour to 90 minutes.

While the number of new cases has slowly decreased, there were no other changes of restriction on the recreation and entertainment sector. However, he said, if the numbers continue on this downward trend, schools could reopen in January. To the sectors which have not been opened fully, he asked their members to be patient. He reminded the country that the purpose of the protocols was to prevent people from moving around too much and coming into contact with too many people and spreading the virus exponentially.

He said if people are not guided by science and patience, any gains and sacrifices made could be negated. And even if some sectors are still closed, it is much better in comparison to the number of people who would be affected if the government had to order another lockdown.

To detractors, he said, “What is relevant to the people of TT is to stay alive, stay healthy. And everything else is secondary.

“Everything else is secondary and that is the policy of the government of TT.”