Deyalsingh: Bars, restaurants can serve customers alcohol Monday

Bars and restaurants can serve alcohol to customers from Monday, Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh said on Saturday but reminded owners they must still operate at 50 per cent capacity.

Speaking at the Ministry of Health's covid19 media briefing, Deyalsingh also reminded owners that alcohol must be consumed on the premises.

Deyalsingh said the Prime Minister gave him permission to announce that full service at bars and restaurants will be allowed before he left the country Saturday to attend the World Leaders Summit at the UN Climate Change Conference, COP 26, in Glasgow, Scotland.

Bars and restaurants reopened in early October but were not allowed to sell alcohol.

Bar Owners Association of TT (BOATT) president Satesh Moonasar, on Saturday, said bar owners were aware of their responsibilities as safe zones and will do their part to enforce the regulations.

He said while bar owners looked forward to being able to serve customers, they also understood the seriousness of the pandemic and the need for proper health protocols to be observed.

"From day one we realised that we had a responsibility to our staff and customers. We will continue to ensure that all of the regulations are observed and we fulfill what is required of us.

"Our safe zones are something we are in control of, outside of that we know people will not be allowed to consume alcohol in public because there is still a state of emergency in effect but we understand our roles and we await the health ordinance to be issued so we can go through it and check the specifics."

Moonasar also said that as of Saturday morning bar owners were at their businesses preparing for Monday's alcohol sales. He anticipated that by next weekend business should pick up for bars.