Minister of National Security Outlines State of Emergency’s Regulations

Attorney General and Minister of National Security, Michael Peyrefitte was the featured guest on the Ask the Expert webcast today.  The hour-long programme was to talk about the regulations included in the S.I. and how it will work for Belize as we entered a state of emergency as of midnight on Wednesday. As you know by now, the curfew hours are from eight in the night to five in the morning. But as the minister explains, you are only to use the hours between five a.m. and eight p.m. to obtain essential services and goods. He says that law enforcement officers will be on the ground and will question pedestrians and motorists about their movements. If you are found to be moving contrary to the S.I., you can be fined as much as five thousand dollars and see prison time. Here’s how he explains it.

Michael Peyrefitte, Attorney General & Minister of National Security

“If you look at section four, for the purposes of controlling the spread of COVID-19, and maintain peace and public order, a curfew is hereby imposed during the period of eight p.m. through to four fifty-nine a.m. of the following morning of the entire country of Belize during the period of public emergency declared by proclamation. From eight p.m. to five a.m., we are on curfew. For the purposes of sub-section one, no person shall be on the streets, or in any public place or public road between the hours specified in that sub-regulation.  For the purposes of containing and suppressing the spread of COVID-19 in section five, a person shall not wander, loiter, assemble or otherwise move in any public place or space during the hours of eight pm to five a.m. During the hours of five and eight, if you are in the public space or a public place, you must be moving with a purpose. You cyaa the move; loiter; wander; or assemble. I gwein dah work – suh then go dah work bredda. If you notice we neva say ten persons or less. Why we neva say that is because you shouldn’t assemble at all. Five dah mawning to eight dah night you must be moving to purchase essential needs; food; water. What is important. You nuh move to go to shop to buy that TV set that you always wanted. That is not an essential need at this time. Essential needs or attending to medical or veterinary attention; you or your pet need medical attention; emergencies; medical emergencies. An essential worker or employee of an approved business going to and from work. So, if you are one of the businesses on approved list you are essential worker and allowed to go to that business from five to eight p.m.  An essential worker acting within the scope of his duties, including but not limited to security guards patrolling whether by foot or conveyance; agricultural or factory workers; delivery services or other similar operations requiring the movement of personnel for the effective conduct of the business of operations.  A person stopped and questioned by a security forces between the hours specified in sub-regulation 15 of five a.m. to eight p.m., who is unable to reasonably explain or prove that his reasons for movement fall within   the reasons set out commits an offence; five thousand dollars or two years dah jail if  you violate these regulations.”