Two months imprisonment possible if health orders flouted

Minister of Public Health (MoPH), Volda Lawrence, last week announced a partial countrywide lockdown as part of the response to restrict the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). Sections of the Health Ministry’s orders revealed a dusk to dawn curfew and restrictions of citizens to their homes with only essential workers allowed out. Additionally, these restrictions have halted all crowds at weddings and funerals and religious places of worship, and even at creeks and pools. It further stated that persons will not even be allowed to visit patients at hospitals or elderly persons at the Palms Geriatric Home.

Even with Guyana confirming 45 cases with six deaths as a result of the disease, some people have still been found contravening the presidential orders.

But the orders are not without penalties for defaulters. A perusal of the Public Health Ordinance Act, specifically Section 152, reveals that “any person who contravenes any of the provisions of the Ordinance made by the government, or who fails, neglects or refuses to execute any work or to do anything which he is required to do by virtue of any of the provisions of the ordinance shall be guilty of an offence and shall, unless some other penalty is provided therefore, (be) liable to a penalty with or without hard labour for any term exceeding two months.” Interestingly enough, the act also states that the individual is liable to a penalty of a meager G$50.

“Where the offence is a continuing one, unless some other penalty is provided therefore, the offender shall be liable to a further penalty not exceeding GYD10 for everyday for which the offence continues, and in default of payment, to imprisonment for any period not exceeding three months,” the Act states.

(Kaieteur News)