Police on patrol at Tyrico, Maracas

People may think that police action on Tyrico Bay was an attempt to cramp the style of many Trinis who go to the beach to relax and lime, but police said they were acting for the public's safety.

They held  “routine” exercises on the North Coast, limiting the number of cars allowed in car parks near beaches, restricting parking on the North Coast Road, and directing traffic during a road block early on Sunday morning.

Police sources said the beach restrictions were against car traffic, not visitors. Beachgoers were allowed to go to beaches like Tyrico and Maracas Bay, but were not allowed to park on the beach. A small car park near Sam's Bar was closed and all traffic entering Tyrico Bay was disallowed.

A senior police officer in the Northeastern Division told Newsday since covid19 rules restricting people from going to beaches were relaxed, a high number of people had returned.

He pointed out that,last week, loud music could be heard from cars on the beach, attracting more crowds and causing “bad behaviour.”

The crowding is also causing public health concerns, as large crowds on beaches can turn into super-spreader events.

One of six vendors who sell on Tyrico and other beaches on the North Coast said while it is understood the police are doing everything they could to protect the public from the virus, the sudden police presence was extreme.

“You can’t park on Tyrico beach, and they are making it hard to park on the roads. Patrons are confused. They don’t know where to go to park up and take a little bathe,” said a vendor who didn’t wish to be named.

He said because of the confusion, there were hardly any visitors on the beach. The vendors were forced to pack up their goods and go home without any sales.

“We have our families to see about. It is a real inconvenience,” the vendor said.

“I understand what the police are doing because the patrons could be really inconsiderate. All they have to do is follow the rules, and it is really simple, because we all know it is a pandemic, and it is a disaster.

“Everyone wants the place to reopen. But we have to do the right thing.”

Public Health Ordinance 12 part 4 (I) says, for the purpose of protecting people from the spread of covid19, it was an offence for people to be found at a river, stream, pond, spring, or any similar body of water, or any public pool for recreational purposes.

Beaches were included on this list until October 26, when the restriction was lifted. Even then, the Prime Minister, while announcing that the beaches would reopen two days earlier, warned people against  crowds at the beach.

Dr Rowley warned at a press conference that large gatherings would create the exact environment covid19 needs to thrive and spread.

The Ministry of Health’s update on Saturday reported 316 active patients and 131 deaths related to covid19.