PM: Restaurant closures about congregation

The Prime Minister said, unlike laundromats, restaurants involve large numbers of people gathering in an enclosed space for a significant period of time. He said the decision for food services to remain closed as opposed to reopening is based on data and evidence.

Dr Rowley was speaking during the Prime Minister’s questions period of Parliament on Friday.

“With respect to laundromats, it was determined that a large number of people could be serviced by a few people acting in a situation which does not expose the public, and therefore with health protocols being observed inside of a laundry, serving in the way that they serve that it could be opened without increasing the risk to the public. With respect to restaurants and use of restaurants it involves a large number of people in close quarters for a significant period of time. That is not the case in a laundromat.”

When asked by Naparima MP Rodney Charles why outdoor sales of food were not allowed as happened in Toronto, London, and other cities, the PM said those decisions were made by the leaders of countries based on data available to them.

“I make data in TT based on what is in front of us and the situation at a laundromat, dropping off your clothes, physically distanced, and masked for a few officers working in a laundry, is quite different to restaurants where large numbers of people are involved and exposed to each other for a significant period of time, it’s a different arrangement. In an effort to open as many facets of the country as we can, while we also be cognisant of the health situation that we will do so, not just with laundromats, but with other areas including food services, as we determine the level of risk, and it has nothing to do with other countries but with decisions made in TT.”

Barataria/San Juan MP Saddam Hosein asked why doubles were not being allowed to be sold with covid19 protocols in place, as this could take place outdoors. Rowley responded that the answer remained the same.

“Repeating it over and over is not going to change it. We are talking about the numbers of people congregating and congregated in the exercise and of all the meals in the country there is nothing different and special about doubles, we shut down restauranting because it involves a large number of people, we close restaurants of all description and I don’t know what is his doubles problem. At the first opportunity that it appears to us that these things can be done, without significantly increasing the risk to people, the government of TT will act as we are acting now.”

With respect to El Pecos restaurant reopening as a market, one restauranteur, who asked not to be named, applauded the action.

“It’s an excellent move. That’s what people are being forced to do during the lockdown. Why not let restaurants open their kitchens and provide meals to supermarkets and for delivery, as they have been doing for years? If the problem is with gathering, then the manufacturing food sector, places like Holiday Foods and Nestle, should also be shut down because it’s the same argument.”

“People are congregating at supermarkets and places like Pennywise, and it only takes one person to infect others. Pecos has done what he has to do, and I admire him for the move. He has gone through all that expense and time in order to survive. We should admire people who have done things not to go against the government but to survive.”

Royal Castle declined to comment on the matter, while messages to Prestige Holdings CEO Christian Mouttet went unanswered.