McKenzie to crack whip on COVID beach bums
A 91 per cent non-compliance rate with COVID-19 socialdistancing protocols was observed among beach- and rivergoers at the weekend, triggering a stern warning from Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie that he will outline more rigid measures on Wednesday.
McKenzie referred to heightened indiscipline among members of the public at a time when the Government has decided to make pretesting mandatory for all non-resident and business visitors arriving in Jamaica as of Friday, July 10.
“There has to be a certain level of responsibility that is brought to the table by Jamaicans. We understand the importance of going to the beach and to rivers to exercise and to have some level of freedom, but we must do this in a controlled fashion,” McKenzie declared.
His disclosure came during a virtual press conference on Monday evening.
McKenzie, however, commended the operators of beach and river facilities who sought to adhere to COVID-19 safety guidelines.