Tobagonians heed call to stay away from streets, beaches

Tobagonians have heeded the Government's call to stay away from beaches and other non-essential activity to prevent the spread of the coronavirus (covid19).On Good Friday, the start of the long Easter weekend, the Store Bay, Pigeon Point, Buccoo and Mt Irvine beaches, were desolate. The only sounds were the waves crashing on the shoreline and the hum of the engines of police cars patrolling the roadways.Sgt Alicia Piggott, of the Tobago CID, told Newsday Tobago people stayed away from the streets and beaches on Good Friday.

She said she hoped the trend would have continued throughout the remainder of the Easter weekend.Usually, the beaches would be crowded with tourists, and locals alike, looking for fun and relaxation.But the strict restrictions imposed by the Government to stem the spread of the virus has caused many people to stay at home, away from the glare of police.Additionally, the Government's March 23 ban on international flights resulted in many tourists shelving their plans to visit the island for Easter.Up to news time on Friday, Tobago recorded five confirmed cases of covid19 and one death – an elderly man who died at the Scarborough General Hospital early on Palm Sunday and was buried at Buccoo public cemetery later that day.The lockdown on non-essential activity is expected to end on April 30.For Tobagonians, the slowdown in social and business activity is a marked departure from what they have become accustomed to over the years.One man said he never envisioned "Tobago would reach to this (effects of the covid19).""When you talking about Easter, you talking Tobago," one man told Newsday at Store Bay."I have never seen the island like this, no people, not tourists. This is a real first." The man, who is in his sixties, said he has lived on the island all his life."Could you imagine not going to the beach for Easter?" he asked.

The man prayed covid19 would "go away."A Store Bay scalper also observed the negative effect covid19 has had on his activity."You know how much money I would have made already if things was normal and the (Buccoo) reef was running? But look, nothing happening. The place just dead," he complained.He said since the closure of beach facilities, weeks ago, and the Government's recent lockdown on non-essential activity, things have been tough."I doing all kinds of things to make ends meet now."The scalper expressed hope Tobago will rebound from "this dry spell.""Everything is just for a time. People just have to continue to keep away." Fishermen, too, have also been affected by the clampdown.Johnny Baptiste, president of the South-West Tobago Fishing Association, told Newsday even before the onset of covid19 fishermen were experiencing a drop in sales."Well, we have not been faring so well because we cannot even got to the sea. And ever so often, we are getting calls that the tide will not be as favourable as it should be, so we have not even been attempting to go to the sea to catch fish," he said, adding Tobagonians would have had a limited supply of fish for Easter.Baptiste said covid19 exacerbated the fishermen's problems."Unless we go to see about the boats and make sure they are secure, we are hardly venturing outside."Baptiste said many people were disappointed because fishermen hardly ventured out to the sea."People had made requests for fish, especially for Good Friday, but we not really going out and the catch is not so good either.

Baptiste said Tobagonians would have had "a different" Good Friday this year.