BELIZE CITY, Sun. May 3, 2020– Since the declaration of a national State of Emergency, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a curfew has been in place in an effort to confine members of the public to their homes from 8:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. Violators of the curfew face a fine of $5,000 if found guilty.
Commissioner of Police Chester Williams announced on Friday that 60 persons had been arrested for curfew violations countrywide, and for other offenses under the State of Emergency regulations.
Compol Williams said that 24 of the violators were unable to give a reasonable excuse for their movements outside the curfew hours. Fourteen of the persons were not carrying out social distancing; 12 of them breached the curfew; 3 of them were not wearing a mask; and 3 were charged for not being able to provide a reasonable excuse for movement outside curfew hours. A taxi driver was charged with transporting a passenger without wearing a mask to cover his mouth and nose; two businessmen  were charged with keeping a business open when it should be closed; and a parent was charged for keeping a child in a public place.
Yesterday, Saturday, May 2, Compol Williams announced that more persons — 62 — were arrested for curfew violations and other offences against the State of Emergency regulations.
Williams said that 27 were charged for breach of curfew; 15 were charged with not wearing a mask to protect their mouth and nose in public; 9 were not able to provide a reasonable excuse for movement outside of curfew hours; 5 were charged for cross-district movements; 2 were charged for not practicing social distancing; two businessmen were charged for keeping their businesses open when it should be closed; and 2 were charged for entering Belize illegally, bringing the total number of persons arrested to 122.
Compol Williams said that police will continue to enforce the curfew and the State of Emergency regulations, because the regulations are in place to combat the spread of the COVID -19 virus.
Feature photo: Compol Chester Williams