Coming curfew changes based on least risk

| 29/04/2020 | 137 Comments
Cayman News Service
Premier Alden McLaughlin at Wednesday’s press briefing

(CNS): The next phase of the shelter-in-place order, or soft curfew, which begins Monday will allow access to more services, based on the least risk of people gathering in one place, Premier Alden McLaughlin said Wednesday. Revealing some details about this first phase of eased restrictions from the COVID-19 lockdown, he said that many more things would be allowed to be delivered. He also announced the re-opening of cash transfer companies if they can comply with the rules.

Although the premier has previously said that opening the remittance services was too risky, comparing them to the banks where people have to queue in very long lines outside, at Wednesday’s COVID-19 briefing he spoke about the pressing demand for the cash services to re-open and said that they would be allowed to do so from 6am to 6pm, Monday through Saturday, if they met the rules set out by the current exemption authority.

The question of risk has dominated the government’s position on the decisions taken. But it is increasingly the area that has raised the most public frustration, as the perception is growing that some individuals or companies are allowed to engage in very risky behaviour while others are prevented from doing things that pose almost no risk.

Just over a week ago McLaughlin said that the decisions surrounding the curfew orders were not about fairness but about saving lives. Following up on that Wednesday, he said that there was no real quality control regarding the decisions made by the exemptions team at ‘curfewtime’. He admitted that there was a certain amount of objectivity and as long as humans were involved in a decision-making process, there would always be an inherent bias.

“We have a team of five or six people who deal with the individual applications,” he said, noting that Eric Bush was the chief. The premier said he was only involved in policy decisions and there was no formal appeal process.

However, given that the team has now handled 12,000 requests, the premier said he believed it was going “remarkably well”.

Risk will be at the centre of the phased lifting of restrictions if the screening test results this week continue to go well. For the next two weeks it appears that the public will have access to goods by delivery, and some stores are likely to open under strict social distancing rules in the second phase from the middle of May.

At that point, McLaughlin said, government would mandate the wearing of face masks in public, and it was therefore necessary to ensure that there are enough masks so that everyone has access to them before they become a legal requirement.

Meanwhile, the premier once again disputed allegations that the government had no economic plan to help Cayman recover from the impact of this pandemic. Once again he waived in front of he camera the evolving policy document that is guiding the re-emergence of the economy while government continues to battle the health crisis.

Next week, Roy McTaggart, the minister for finance and economic development, will be appearing at the briefing to talk about the country’s finances, McLaughlin said.

Anyone who requires an exemption to the current curfew is asked to email curfewtime@gov.ky and make their case for consideration.

See the full briefing below on CIGTV:


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Category: Health, Medical Health

Comments (137)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    I am trying to understand how it is safe to have construction workers for the airport improvements but now anywhere else?

  2. Anonymous says:

    The General Election needs to be brought forward. Enough of this dictatorship.

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  3. Anonymous says:

    How will people be expected to go back to work in the sectors that are open if schools/camps etc are closed and helpers are not allowed to go to work?

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  4. Anonymous says:

    There will only be 100 million vaccine units. Good luck getting 65,000 for here. We have only just got PPE & masks coming in…5 months after this virus started. Let’s say mid 2021 at the earliest.

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  5. Anonymous says:

    Open the damn beaches!

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  6. Anonymous says:

    As a first step, swimming and beach walking from 6-9 am, and beaches closed on weekends, please.

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  7. Anonymous says:

    The Law says curfew ends at 5am tomorrow Friday and it said the new laws will come in effect. Monday do we have a weekend off?

    CNS were are the regs covering friday and the weekend don’t we have to have notice?

    CNS: See the recently published article.

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  8. Anonymous says:

    Absolute height of rudeness to not inform the public about the briefing being postponed until way after its scheduled time. Have come to expect nothing more really. Absolutely ridiculous!

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  9. Anonymous says:

    I sincerely hope that the Premier and his panel of six grant exemptions to businesses based on risk and not favour or this will end up like the infamous Mac Status grants. He’s already lost the public’ respect after his covering for the MOH

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    • Anonymous says:

      Status grants based on favor? Surely not!! Our police would have investigated thoroughly. What do suggest. That we are overtly corrupt and our police do nothing meaningful about it?

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    • Anonymous says:

      No, they have been granted on favour and I have evidence.
      This person has already tried to distance himself from a “perfect, not meant to be fair” process.
      I sincerely hope that law abiding citizens rise up and cleanse this place of these individuals.

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    • Anonymous says:

      I don’t understand why local fishermen (1-2 on small boats) and anyone in non contact jobs can’t be out there now. Local fishermen could be stocking stores with fish right now, not in a few weeks time when the commercial boats get back.

  10. Anonymous says:

    Why is this Sunday another hard curfew? What is the rationale?

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  11. High-Plains-Drifter says:

    “Believe You Me” comes from the mouth of the Premier constantly, as if this makes a difference to those on the island currently with “0” income and bills piling up. I will jump on that “Believe You Me” rickshaw when the Premier and the rest of the Honourable Ministers take a wage “Holiday” like other leaders have exhibited worldwide. It takes real leadership to put your money were your mouth is.

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  12. Anonymous says:

    The local populace is not renowned for using protection well

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  13. Anon says:

    Has the Premier actually seen the Videos of the crowds at the Jamaican Money remittance services and their despicable behaviour. They don’t respect rules. Is he going to put armed police at the ones in Cayman?

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  14. satirony says:

    I hope the Government will allow us to drive to our chosen exercise areas. Many have nowhere to walk apart from the roads, where less traffic is moving at twice the speed.

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  15. Anonymous says:

    So are we going to get a list of places soon?

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    • Anonymous says:

      always soon come…

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    • Anonymous says:

      we need to open the beaches and let people distance themselves. We are not six year olds….i think we can do it. a fine of 5000 say should ensure compliance.

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      • Anonymous says:

        It’s not about the fine, it’s about policing

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        • Anonymous says:

          It’s more about incompetent policing. They have not enforced laws for so long they forgot how to.

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        • Anonymous says:

          The police are extremely busy spraying unidentified substances on people’s hands at the supermarket

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          • Anonymous says:

            Even when I say I have my own disinfectant wipes they want to put their ‘whatever’ on my hands. Lots of tooth sucking when I decline. And when I tell them to stay 6+ feet away from me. I don’t need them in my face! Security guards too. Step away from me please!

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        • Anonymous says:

          Today I went out on my letter and was thoroughly “policed” as my reason for going out to grab food was labeled as a “waste of time” by the officer. He also told me that he’s giving me a teachable moment as he proceeded to waste my time further by calling in for info on my registration. It took him a good 10mins to get through to whoever he was calling in the office. After waiting I offered to show him the receipt for registration which I had on my phone but he refused. My car is fairly new so I cant even assume that the appearance of my vehicle caught his “police sense”
          I haven’t been outside in weeks and decided to go get food today and take the opportunity to drive as the car has been sitting for weeks.
          If that’s how the police are operating I will just stay inside. If they were just policing that would be fine, but the excessive show of authority is just too much for me.

    • Anonymous says:

      No, there is no plan

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    • Anonymous says:

      Look/watch/listen for announcements from each money transfer company. This was stated during the news conference.

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    • Anonymous says:

      As soon as his family tells him what they want to do and where they want to shop.

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  16. Anonymous says:

    Open coastline swimming this is a safe activity compared to cycling in groups, walking in groups or trying to get around everyone on the road walking , running or cycling . You would ease this exercise congestion going on and solo or household coastline swimming is the safest sport to avoid catching Coronavirus compared to what we are all currently doing for exercise.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Beaches weren’t closed because people were swimming, but because people were gathering in groups and not practicing social distancing,

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      • Anonymous says:

        That is because you have a bunch of thoughtless, selfish and impulsive people on island. it is also the reason there are so many car accidents! the young people on island or anyone, should spend at least five minutes a day thinking about consequences of impulsive and selfish actions on other around them.

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      • Anonymous says:

        How many were warned for prosecution or ticketed?

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    • Anonymous says:

      makes too much sense for alden.

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    • Anonymous says:

      So is me fishing alone or with my partner on my boat. All now I am still waiting while all these others are working. Can’t even put fish on the table. This is becoming a miserable existence for us when we could be helping by supplying fish to supermarkets and food places.

  17. Anonymous says:

    Eventually the Crown is going to have to step in. This is a joke

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    • Anonymous says:

      said this weeks ago. governor needs to bring in top economic advisors asap.
      the scope of the economic catastrophe for cayman is way, way, way beyond the capabilities of the local civil service.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Comments like this are just so boring

  18. Anonymous says:

    how can the people have faith in alden and his ‘soon-come’ recovery plan?
    he fluffed his lines with a simple issue like pool maintenance…where he was proven to be 100% wrong.
    throw in the nonsensical beach ban and his veiled attack on the media asking simple questions….yep…we are done with no-plan-alden.

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  19. Anonymous says:

    too little too late alden…6 weeks into this and you still do not have a plan.
    cayman economy has now been damaged beyond repair.
    you are fine with many businesses and people in the private sector suffering….well karma is coming for you now.

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  20. Anonymous says:

    Excellent. Personal trainers home delivery service coming soon!!! Curbside pickup

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  21. Anonymous says:

    I don’t understand how opening a hardware store is any riskier than the grocery store! To say they will offer curbside purchases is ridiculous, unless the hardware store can quickly get their websites to list and/or picture all of their stock. Limit the amount of people allowed in at one time. Come on government open the hardware stores or at least offer a substantial reason for how this is any riskier than grocery stores.

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    • Anonymous says:

      they are treating us like children and of course, they love their power. it is beyond stoopid that this continues because the death rate of covid is not what the models suggested! TIME TO OPEN!

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      • Anonymous says:

        I get it, you’re hurting financially, but you just need to be selfless and patient a little while longer

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        • Anonymous says:

          says the civil servant… at home doing less than usual… on full pay….

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          • Anonymous says:

            Why are restaurant staff allowed in big not offices of 1, 2 or 3 staff? Why can people pick up food from restaurants every day, but I can’t drive to CamanA Bay to exercise in the shade with lovely breezes, instead of my mosquito infested back yard (green nasty condo pool) or on the road with trucks going by at 60+ mph?!

    • Andrew says:

      Not saying I agree with the hardware stores being closed, as I do believe they should be opened at the very least a couple days out of the week. But groceries stores are a necessary evil, people need food and water more than they need to make house repairs.

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    • Anonymous says:

      It’s not just about them being more or less risky, it’s about the level of necessity. ANd keep in mind when you open a business that means there’s a couple hundred more people (the employees) that have to leave their homes on a regular basis and interact with persons outside of their households.

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    • Anonymous says:

      You’re missing the point. The fewer people that are interacting in the community the less opportunities the disease will have to spread. Grocery stores are risky but necessary. Hardware stores are just as risky but not necessary. That’s why grocery stores are open and hardware stores are closed.

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    • David Shibli says:

      Opening a hardware store would have meant that people could have improved their properties, imparted values to their children and allowed emergencies to be mitigated.
      But no, Alden gave is alcohol and dubious science at best. There needs to be an inquest.

      If he is elected again, I will certainly believe that I am living in the Twilight Zone.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Omg, you weren’t there the day they were locking down.
      Total chaos. You would def catch it there. I would love for it to be open too I have all sorts of projects to take care of in the house.

    • Anonymous says:

      We eat food to live, we do not eat nails……..

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  22. Anonymous says:

    Please lift the fishing ban….please allow the fishermen to check their pots to remove the dead or poverized fish. This was an environmental disaster from the beginning.

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  23. Anonymous says:

    I know see the arrogance that others have commented about. Shame, I was really beginning to like him.

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  24. Anonymous says:

    This looks like more of the friends and family before anyone else . If Alden does it we can too. If he don’t need it then none of us can have it. How many of us could survive on canned corn beef? If the Voters don’t do it. It’s off the list. No water sports but biking on Caymans roads is always OK. Because it’s safer? Because your farther away from everyone? You are right. Its not fair. But that is not the point is it? Incredible job doing what’s best for you. To bad the island does not have the same representation.

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    • Anonymous says:

      I do wish Alden was a swimmer and not a cyclist then he would understand it poses no risk whatsoever, is fantastic for mental and physical well being and can be done whilst maintaining social distance from everyone

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  25. Anonymous says:

    They should keep the work from home people at home until this is eradicated. Some offices are already planning to bring staff back into high density cubicles and tiny spaces. All offices should pass a sanitation and social distance inspection. Some bosses don’t care because they have their own enclosed space. All reception staff should be protected with transparent screens like there are at dvdl and the like. There is absolutely no rush to open offices that are managing with work from home staff and potentially undo all that has been done.

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    • Anonymous says:

      No sanitizing is needed for the offices. There have now been unoccupied for 7 weeks so no chance any latent virus has lasted that long!

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      • Anonymous says:

        They will need to be sanitised throughout the day if there are people coming and going, especially with the risk of asymptomatic positives.

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    • Anonymous says:

      I agree and all at home staff should be tested before allowing them back into their workspaces

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      • Anonymous says:

        If you test all employees then you must also test every customer and then do it all again the following day…how does that make sense?

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    • Anonymous says:

      Totally. Whoever is now working from home should continue working from home for the longest time possible – until this virus is eradicated. Not only that cubicles are close-by in offices, even if they ask staff to come in rotations, and follow social distancing, they would still be using the same restrooms, same kitchen and office equipments, touching the same faucets – and this virus lingers on surfaces for extended periods, – so doesn’t matter if people are working in rotations, this virus can linger on surfaces for days on end, as per the available research till now.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Exactly. There is no reason why people who can effectively work from home should be required to go to any office while a risk remains. To do otherwise would be madness.

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    • Games played by third world countries says:

      Hi CNS. I am sorry to ask but it appears that you are the only one willing to ask the hard questions. The question is what game is the Jamaican government playing? The Jamaican government stated tnat they will allow there citizens back but the Governor is unable to negotiate with the Jamaican Government to accept their citizen from The Cayman Islands. My question is why?

      CNS: To be honest, I do believe that the governor’s office is working very hard to achieve this. I’m not sure that asking the question will advance the situation. It’s come up several times.

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      • Anonymous says:

        CNS – of course we are all waiting for the Governor’s office but what is the Premier’s office doing? Should we not charge higher repatriation fees in relation to work permits from countries that have a history of refusing to allow their own citizens to return? That is purely a domestic Cayman immigration matter. Cayman is going to end up with a massive bill, and I do not understand why everyone here (including the poor trapped citizens of Nicaragua and Jamaica) have to pay it. Why is the Premier not standing up to the likes of Nicaragua and Jamaica? He cannot just blame the delays on matters outside his control.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Yea, as a high-risk individual I am terrified of going back into our open floor plan office.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Even when the offices re-open, May be staff, especially the at-risk ones, should be required to provide a letter from their doctor as to their ability to return to physical work, otherwise be allowed to continue to work from home.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Suggest you find a new job. I hear they need street sweepers

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      • Anonymous says:

        I’d suggest a new job. Or ask your boss that you need better protection. It’s not going away. I truly feel for those who are high risk because there isn’t any plan to help you out.

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        • Anonymous says:

          Every employer has a legal obligation to provide a safe working environment. Without N95’s, enforced social distancing, gloves, widespread testing etc. that is not possible.

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          • Anonymous says:

            Masks and gloves are contrary to the advice of the World Health Organization and will not be permitted in my offices.

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            • Anonymous says:

              WHO do not legislate for individual countries, so you’ll do as your damn well told or face the fines.
              That kind of stupidity will find you in court or the NAU.

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      • Anonymous says:

        I hear ya, having asthma makes me definitely not want to catch this thing and will not risk my life for it

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    • Anonymous says:

      You are not going to eradicate the virus in the near future. If it is eradicated in Cayman it will be reintroduced when the boarders open up.

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      • Anonymous says:

        I read, but not sure how true it is, that a vaccine may be ready as early as September 2020, but then again, vaccines come with their own side effects, and if the virus mutates and keeps mutating, don’t know how effective the vaccine would be.

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        • Anonymous says:

          what side effects do vaccines have?

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          • Anonymous says:

            Plenty. For this reason, there are many anti-vaccine groups worldwide who do not want their babies to get vaccinated. For some young and adults, with underlying health conditions, it could even be life threatening or fatal.

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            • Anonymous says:

              The usual bible thumper, science denying, fundamentalists…(..and so say dinosaurs never existed…) who put their children’s lives and well being at risk….

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  26. Anonymous says:

    Don’t bother emailing curfewtime, they only reply if and when it suits them. I just ignore them and go about my business.
    If McLaughlin wants to get into it, he can do so in a court of law.

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    • Anonymous says:

      I have to agree on the lack of response from curfew times having sent several emails which remain unanswered. Sad to say, same goes for WORC who I emailed almost 2 weeks ago. The companies registry however, are being extremely responsive, which is a breath of fresh air compared to usual.

  27. Anonymous says:

    Oh shut up, Alden. Nobody cares what you think.

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  28. Anonymous says:

    I am sure many retail businesses will welcome the opportunity to open and provide delivery services even if they can’t open their stores. I certainly know of many people that need things for their boats which need regular maintenance even if they are just tied up at the dock. I don’t suppose boating and fishing is about to be opened up despite the fact that if done with household members it would be absolutely safe, and a welcome relief from this current situation.

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    • Anonymous says:

      The beaches were open and a significant number wouldn’t listen. Have no reason to believe they will listen when want to go boating with their buddies.

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      • Anonymous says:

        I think the offending folks left on planes this week. Only law-abiding citizens remain. Should be good to go.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Yep, we have to save those fish from the coronavirus.
      There is absolutely no reason why fishermen could not go out to sea and sell their catch to Fosters or Kirks.
      I was at Cayman Airways the other day and pallets of seafood were being delivered.
      I am sure that the fishermen who caught those fish all adhered to strict social distancing.
      This debacle is seeming more and more like a criminal enterprise by the day.

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  29. Anonymous says:

    Good god, let it go.

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