Maracas vendors worried but not surprised by new closure

Vendors at Maracas Beach have said the new covid19 restrictions are tough, but understandable.

Hundreds of people went to the beach Wednesday after the Health Ministry's virtual press conference. The decision to close all beaches again was announced as part of government measures to combat the spread of covid19.

The new restrictions will be in effect for the next three weeks.

Teow Lester, a snowcone vendor on North Coast Road, Maracas, said the beach closure will be tough on him.

But he said people should follow the rules to avoid further covid19 cases.

Julianna Singh, a fruits and preserve vendor, told Newsday the new restrictions are big challenges.

She said: "It is really sad for me and my family, because we live from this business. We have been working here for 47 years, and now this new closure of the beach will affect the sellers financially."

Singh hopes the restrictions will be lifted after three weeks.

When the closing of beaches was announced, entire families went to Maracas to take advantage of the last day.

Some, like Shane Boodoo, were going anyway.

"I was already planning to come to the beach today with my family. We will take the corresponding sanitary measures," he said.

Vendors at the beach said they had seen the closure coming as a result of the irresponsibility of some visitors. Several told Newsday in recent days they had seen people on the beach after 6pm and drinking alcohol.

The Tourism, Culture and the Arts Ministry said in a press release that from midnight on Wednesday, Maracas, Las Cuevas, Manzanilla and Vessigny Beach would be closed for 21 days.

Tourism, Culture and the Arts minister Randall Mitchell said: “This decision helps to reduce the spread of covid19 among members of the general public as there are inherent risks associated with visiting and using beaches. We must do our part to protect health and save lives as infections rise.”

Mitchell urged members of the public to be more vigilant and follow the public health regulations, which include wearing face masks, maintaining physical distance and frequent sanitisation.

The new restrictions also affect restaurants, cinemas and casinos.

In Port of Spain, the managers of restaurants and cinemas met with their staff on Wednesday.

"We understand the new measures and we are working on the regulations. We must support whatever is necessary to prevent the increase in covid19 cases," said Jonathan Sharma, manager of Jenny's on the Boulevard Restaurant.

Sharma said after the announcement of the ban on dining in, the restaurant started to get to receive a high number of phone orders.

"Most are customers who usually come to the restaurant, so we enable calls for orders, and there are already many," he said.

Restaurant managers and workers expect the restrictions to be for a shorter period than the first lockdown, in 2020.