MP treats South Port of Spain children to movie

One hundred and twenty children from the Port of Spain South constituency were treated to a screening of the Godzilla vs Kong movie at IMAX. Keith Scotland, MP for the area, said the plan for the “Easter treat” was made before the covid19 spike and he didn’t want to cancel because he believed the children needed an activity outside the house.

"With this stress, monotony and online classes, I think they need a little break. They are going to enjoy themselves for two hours and then they would go home... We are trying to cope in a covid19 time. We can't stay cooped up in our houses, but we must do it responsibly," Scotland said.

Children from areas such as Laventille, John John and East Dry River went to see the show.

Scotland said covid19 protocols were followed, as the children were asked to sanitise before they entered, temperature checks were taken and congregation at the lobby was mitigated as the children were ushered into the auditorium as soon as they had got food. The children's arrival was also staggered so not too many children were in the lobby at the same time.

IMAX CEO Ingrid Jahra said the cinema has hosted children before, and is strictly following the covid19 regulations.

"We are guided by the covid19 protocols with 50 per cent occupancy, social distancing and encouraging everyone to keep on their masks."

The IMAX theatre used has 364 seats. The group of children to be treated was cut from 200 to 120 to accommodate the 50 per cent capacity rule. Only people in the same households were allowed to sit together.

"I always like to help the city of Port of Spain...We were waiting for a show with a good enough rating to treat the children. Godzilla vs Kong has a good enough rating. Mr Scotland wanted to host the show before the children went back to school," Jahra told Newsday.

She said going to the cinemae is a passive experience. People are all facing one way, and there is no physical contact as in sports or people facing each other as they would when seated at a restaurant. She said the cinemas are sanitised before every screening.

"We've lived a year of the lockdown. People know what to do and people have been behaving quite well."

Seven-year-old Sumaiya Cox lives in Laventille. She said she appreciated the invitation to see the movie.

"I'm looking forward to the big monsters in the show. I'm not afraid of monsters," Cox told Newsday.

Her mother, Patrice Nurse, said it was a nice gesture, since her children have been cooped up for a long time.