Premier hints at beach access

| 13/05/2020 | 182 Comments
Cayman News Service
Premier Alden McLaughlin at Wednesday’s press briefing

(CNS): Grand Cayman will be moving into the next phase of its re-opening following the public holiday on Monday, and Premier Alden McLaughlin hinted at some beach access and even some fishing. As measures put in place to combat the spread of COVID-19 start to be relaxed, thousands more people in the construction and related retail sector will be allowed to go back to work next week. Meanwhile, Sundays hard curfew is also expected to be lifted.

As concerns remain over the number of asymptomatic people that could be moving around the community, the coronavirus screening programme is helping to find these positive people, who can be isolated and treated and their contacts traced. The premier said the testing will heavily influence the progress towards the full opening of the community.

But he warned that government was continuing to take a phased and cautious approach. McLaughlin said that no country is the world has been able to open up without facing some resurgence of the virus, and given the massive efforts made here to contain the spread, he would not undermine that success.

But given that there was no spike in people falling sick with the virus following the release last week of some 6,000 more people into the workforce, Cayman can move, as hoped, towards a further re-opening next week, the premier said at the COVID-19 briefing on Wednesday.

He said that beach access will be confined to exercise only and gatherings on beaches will still be prohibited. He also said that government is looking closely at allowing fishing again.

“We have decided that the beaches should be re-opened but only for the purpose of exercise,” the premier said, but quickly added that this is not in effect yet and will be part of the next shelter-in-place provisions, which will be outlined on Friday and implemented on Tuesday, 19 May, after the Discovery Day holiday.

The premier said he was in discussions with the police commissioner about lifting the hard curfew for this Sunday.

“Assuming that all goes well, we should see some significant relaxation in the current level of restrictions starting on Tuesday of next week or as early as Sunday re the hard curfew,” the premier said. “There is some real hope and promise that what we are doing is working and in a few weeks we will be able to get back to some level of normality… albeit with borders closed.”

This will be against the backdrop of the economic challenges ahead, he warned. Government has been taking stock of its own financial situation this week and what it will be able to do to help local business get through this period. But the challenge faced by the public purse is that government’s revenue is expected to fall heavily this year.

He said that the government had some rainy day funds and was already dipping into that, but the need to support the local economy was an important point.

He said that in a few weeks the government would be in a position to make public its proposed economic plan, but he admitted that it was still being worked on.

See the press briefing on CIGTV below, starting with the premier’s remarks:


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Category: Health, Medical Health

Comments (182)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    Right. Now open the boozers and restaurants as well.

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  2. Anonymous says:

    International mail would be nice…my new credit cards are now stuck in limbo.

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  3. Anonymous says:

    Switch your focus off the virus. Give it a rest. There are more serious things to worry about on the tiny island mid ocean with ever brewing Dump.

    Season’t first storm off Florida coast. Earthquake in Nevada. Potential landslide-triggered tsunami threatens Prince William Sound (google 1958 landslide in Lituya Bay Fjord in Glacier Bay).

    I bet, dying from C19 would be the least of your worries once you look at dangers of living on planet Earth.

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  4. Anonymous says:

    How about a drinking today:

    Every time the Premier fails to answer the question that was asked, and engages in a straw man rebuttal or ad hominem attack…. have a drink!

    When the Police Commissioner sets new curfew restrictions under The Police Law which violate our rights and have nothing to do with preventing the spread/transmission of COVID-19…. have a drink!

    When the Governor fails in his responsibility to protect our rights by agreeing with anything and everything the Premiere and Commissioner say (and failing to provide written authorization/justifications for orders where required)… have a drink!

    Every time the Minister of Health babbles on incoherently…. have a drink!

    Every time there is a shout-out, birthday wish, or self-praising statement before relevant information is provided…. have a drink!

    When you hear the dystopian government speaker truck blaring through your neighborhood that a curfew order is in effect…. have a drink, and a toast to the police state!

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    • Anonymous says:

      Sweden decided to protect the at risk population and allowed the country to stay open. Guess what? All of the statistics were as low or lower than countries that had a police state policy. I never understood why people could follow the procedures in the grocery store but not at AL Thompson. Or Western Union. And it was a bad call about closing the beaches. Probably illegal and not allowing reasonable use deprived people exercise and vitamin D

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      • Anonymous says:

        It’s a bit sick that liberty-loving conservatives are still pointing to Sweden’s socialist welfare state model from early March, that is now failing, and clawed back in almost all regards – especially among the elderly care homes where it is now ravaging. So much for that idea, ye stable geniuses…read the friggin’ news.

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    • Anonymous says:

      I’m obviously not in an important neighbourhood. I haven’t had the truck come through & I haven’t had an MLA coming to see if I need a mask.
      Yes I’m a Caymanian voting senior. In the Premiers district. I’ve asked others in this district & they’ve not seen or heard from Mr Ethos either. Not even a birthday shout out.
      Guess he doesn’t care unless they are family, or related to his lodge friends.

  5. Anonymous says:

    How did flattening the curve turn into finding a cure.

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  6. Anonymous says:

    Why have they not made clear what we are to do from Friday 5:00 a.m. until the conference at 2:00? I for one am taking a swim at 7 AM tomorrow, all by myself in my front yard.

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  7. Anonymous says:

    I hope a Premier reads this:

    You’re not a dictator’: Florida Gov DeSantis calls out other governors for ‘draconian’ lockdowns and says ‘people have rights’
    Gov Ron DeSantis slammed lockdowns in other states in an interview Thursday
    ‘If you look around the country, there have been examples of really draconian, arbitrary restrictions that have nothing to do with public health,’ he said
    ‘You’re not a dictator, you don’t have unlimited authority, and people do have rights,’ he added in a message to fellow governors
    DeSantis said that Florida’s COVID-19 outbreak hasn’t been as bad as other states because ‘we trusted the people to act appropriately’
    Florida’s stay-at-home order was less restrictive than those in many other states
    DeSantis began rolling back restrictions earlier this month
    On Thursday he announced that some businesses in the hard-hit Miami area will be allowed to reopen

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    • BeaumontZodecloun says:

      Look at the U.S. numbers. They, like us are reopening slowly, however much of their community response has been to ignore the guidelines set out. When people don’t stay apart, they spread the virus, and people die. Unlike the U.S., the measures and guidelines set out by CIG have kept the numbers down and the local deaths to zero. Isn’t it obvious to you that in Florida where the numbers escalated, it was primarily due to lack of personal distancing and hand-cleaning? I seems pointless to me to bring up the U.S., as what we’re talking about are cultural and political differences.

      It is my understanding that this is the entire purpose of the measures, and it has worked. Now, a phased reopening, and yes, numbers will likely rise again later, but unlike the first go around, medical services are all geared up and ready. WE are all geared up also, and most of us understand the necessity of masks and keeping apart.

      It is my understanding that we will introduce CV to our shores on our own terms. Unlike Governor Roper, I don’t believe a vaccine is likely.

      If we had done little and suffered great loss, we would have lamented that we should have done…………. what was done. What is the problem with a slow reentry?

      We don’t have the resources to patrol the beaches. A few people mucked that up for all of us. I don’t think that’s fair, but I understand why it was done. We should be like the Brac right now, and I suspect that is what is coming, or something close to it.

      I don’t think it yet makes sense to open bars and indoor restaurants, because at that point, you’re basically saying all measures are over. There is no distancing in a bar. I think with a stronger overview of testing, we can hope to have confidence that we’ve contained the thing, and then hopefully open up within Cayman.

      We likely won’t know for a couple of years who did the best and who did not. You can look at statistics of the 1918-1920 Spanish Flu and see how people of that time struggled with the very same issues.

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      • Anonymous says:

        The [Florida] governor defended his decision in Thursday’s interview by noting that studies have shown that COVID-19 is ‘highly transmissible’ in enclosed environments, but less so in open air.

        ‘I certainly always believed that the open air is just simply a less transmissible environment,’ DeSantis said.

        ‘There just aren’t massive outbreaks that have been linked to a lot of outdoor activity and so that’s why I got a lot of flack from the Acela media because I didn’t want to close every beach in Florida.’

        He said communities that kept beaches open and followed social distancing guidelines ‘have some of the lowest rates’.

        ‘Places like Brevard County, very low death rate,’ he said. ‘And so I believe outdoor activity is low risk.

        ‘When you have the opportunity to be in good weather, you’re going to be less likely to be in those enclosed environments, which is really, I think, where we’ve seen this virus really spread like wildfire.’

      • Anonymous says:

        Yes, absolutely agree we will not know what the best course was for years, but I’d rather take a cautious approach, instead of full steam and be regretful when looking back that we could have done better.

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    • Anonymous says:

      I hope the Premier reads this:

      In Florida, the number of cases went up yesterday by 3% over Tuesday. Granted, majority of those case are in the Miami / Fort Lauderdale / Dade County areas. But other areas in Florida are now getting cases for the first time. Florida opened up too early.

      In Texas, the number of cases went up yesterday by 6% over Tuesday. Most of those cases were in the Houston and Dallas areas. However, it should be noted that Texas opened up earlier than Florida.

      Believe there is a lesson here. The lesson being don’t open up too early. Stay the course Premier. Short term pain for long term gain.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Stupid arguement. Save people from catching a cold while others die of starvation and desperation starts to kick in. What is the plan? Let it get out of control. Let the weak die and the strong will survive. Guess what the irony is here boys, it’s not corona killing us.

  8. Elvis says:

    I believe shore and boat fishing for two people only should be allowed. however id keep beaches closed until we get a good few weeks of no cases at al, these cases are popping up in the community every day now and we moving to unlocking beaches, businesses ?
    we need to just wait a little longer Alden

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  9. Anonymous says:

    How about relaxing beach for long weekend? Why can’t we enjoy beach but social distance and fine anybody not complying?

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  10. Anonymous says:

    Gonna drive to my favorite spot for a beach walk and a swim tomorrow morning when the shelter in place provisions expire.

    Thought they would have extended the current orders, but I guess they will announce a new one Friday afternoon.

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    • Anonymous says:

      I’m swimming tomorrow morning. I thought he would be clear on Wednesday, but was not. I will swim and snorkel and then see what he says at 2:15.

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    • Anonymous says:

      I’m thinking about doing the same. There is STILL no evidence that written permission from the Governor for the curfew and cordon restrictions has ever been granted under S.49 of The Police Law, nor has there been any explanation for how the Governor can provide his written approval for curfew and cordon restrictions far in exceed of what is permissible under S.49

      I have just re-watched the Commissioner’s statement from May 1 which imposed the current curfew. I encourage anyone who is interested to review the Commissioner’s statement from May 1 which begins at 5:18 at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XqiCVYBbQM

      Under what the Commissioner describes as “Curfew order #4” he clearly indicates the restrictions on beach access expire at 5AM tomorrow.

      This information is corroborated by the Cayman Islands Government press release dated May 13, 2020 available at:
      http://www.gov.ky/portal/page/portal/cighome/pressroom/archive/202005/wednesday-13-may-update

      The press release confirms the expiration of a hard curfew and restriction on beach access startng at 5AM tomorrow.

      I am not aware at the time of this writing that a new curfew order has been issued, or able to locate where the previous curfew orders (and written Governor approvals) are available for public review. I would really appreciate it if anyone has information to the contrary.

      Regardless of the above revelation, many of the shelter-in-place restrictions which we are currently subject to are still applicable under the Prevention, Control and Suppression of COVID-19 Regulations, 2020 (SL 42 of 2020) which do not expire for 15 days after the commencement of these regulations (which came into force on May 4) http://www.gov.ky/portal/pls/portal/docs/1/12948658.PDF

      I am very much looking forward to going for a reasonable, responsible and socially-distanced walk along the beach tomorrow morning, and possibly a swim… right in front of the governors house for good measure. On the other hand, we seem to be living in a police state now where the ends justify the means, so I won’t be surprised if there are arrests for anyone who steps foot on the beach, despite the lapse of legally dubious police orders and lack of any justification of how walking on the beach or swimming in the ocean directly contributes to the spread of the virus.

      Enjoy your civil rights at your own risk…

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  11. Anonymous says:

    from friday 5pm
    remove sunday lockdown
    allow beaches for excercise

    this is your last chance alden.

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  12. Anonymous says:

    Boating should be opened up. Sandbar, Rum Point and Starfish Point could remain closed (if deemed necessary by the powers that be) with the police easily able to patrol these areas with the resources they have. Fines could be put in place for non compliance as with the existing soft curfew. Numbers could be limited on boats too. There’s just no reason to stop people getting outside and enjoying the water.

    The constant answer about how some people don’t care about old people and think they are expendable is completely lame. I haven’t heard anyone suggest that. But to keep everyone locked up inside makes absolutely no sense. It’s time to move this forwards.

    If the police can’t manage this despite the amount of officers and resources they have per amount of population then some serious questions need to be asked……..

    Fingers crossed!

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  13. Anonymous says:

    What are doing? It’s nonsense. More of us will die in car accidents in cayman this year than from covid19

    Stop this insanity. Protect the vulnerable. Wear a mAsk and wash your hands, and stay socially distant.

    But stop This death sentence of economic poverty….just stop

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  14. Anonymous says:

    Alden got scared when an elderly gentlemen had multiple cardiac arrests and they made out like Covid was what caused his death. The resultant economic catastrophe was wholly avoidable.

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  15. Anonymous says:

    Covid-19 is Alden’s Sacred Vessel

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  16. Anonymous says:

    Please Mr Premier, now that you have started opening back up the economy, please share the next phases “provided positive cases do not exceed what is expected.” People need to plan accordingly as I cannot continue paying my helper indefinitely.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Would you be able to pay her if she could come? Then you can clearly still pay her.

      • Anonymous says:

        Let me rephrase for you – people cannot justify continuing to pay helpers for no work. Clearly the biggest employer Dart could also easily afford to continue paying staff. Why didn’t Dart continue paying staff?

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        • Anonymous says:

          OK, so you can’t “justify” paying your helper as what you said is you “cannot” big difference. Yet, you justification to pay while she was unable to come was because you were being a kind human and the pittance that you pay her fine for a short term, but not now because you’re not sure when she’ll be able to come? I’m sorry, I just don’t get it. If you’re employed and you were paying them before, and you’re still employed but don’t want to pay anymore, that’s just not kind. Dart is another matter, not related to you.

      • Anonymous says:

        Maybe this poster would prefer that you stop making the sacrifice of paying your helper. Just fire your helper and make it the government problem to support even more out of work people.

        • Anonymous says:

          My helper is fantastic and I wouldn’t want to lose her. I pay her more than she asks and that is still cheap. I am still employed and I hate cleaning my own toilet, but I refuse to become an a$$hole just to avoid pittance amount of money that will be hugely beneficial to her.

  17. John says:

    yes please release the marine activities – I can social distance in my private boat at Rum Point better than Fosters, the beach or anywhere ! Allow say 6 per boat (or 2 families) and see how it goes. Social distancing in the water is easy to comply. Have a po po on a Jet Ski cruise around Kaibo and RP as well on the weekends. They’re out there anyways.

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    • anonymous says:

      You are one of the reasons fisherman can’t get to go fish! If they open the waters all your looking to do is party in your boat!!

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    • Anonymous says:

      Do not open any boating activities with the exception of fishing. The Sunday morons will cause chaos at Rum Point for no nett benefit to anyone but themselves, as usual.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Why can’t the police patrol Rum Point?

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      • John says:

        That’s why the Police can get after the Sunday morons !! Don’t tell me what I will or won’t do on my boat. I am a responsible person – I outlined some ideas. I can “party” in my boat responsibly…unlike many of the locals who show up and blast their ridiculous offensive music weekly and ruin the serenity of RP. The Police are up there anyways, chopper flying overhead, jetskis patrolling…don’t be fooled, they have the manpower and I respect that.

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    • Anonymous says:

      I know you want to get away from your family, but you had them. Deal. No one’s getting in my boat so don’t bother asking.

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  18. Common Sense says:

    Well done to the Premier on yesterday’s press performance. I wouldn’t have said that before and I may disagree with him on issues but I think he deserves to be praised. Not because of the substance but on how he spoke and handled himself. He was straight shooting.

    Its also somewhat reassuring that they are beginning to treat us as adults by releasing more data from Dr. Lee. It helps us all better understand the CIG’s justifications.

    And well done Wendy for your questioning. I hope you’re feeling the love.

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    • Anonymous says:

      So it took him 2 months to be able to make an appropriate speech to the public. Most viewers have stopped watching from several weeks ago. Simply cannot tolerate the lack of useful information being presented.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Well done on calling out a member of the private sector, a lawyer, that he’s young and buff? Not well done. Was weird and just shows James Austin-Smith has got under his skin. Usually happens when government officials have no respect for human rights and the law they are meant to uphold. Very interesting.

      Well done, Wendy, as usual.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Useful information? Our premier has been doing a great job so far until he bender to the ex-pat pressure, especially the financial and legal profession. It very obvious, who’s/or what is taking preferences now. Caymanians we are being screwed again without even a snip of any form of lubricant H.E remember Our elderly and vulnerable is very important to us. They have no place to go and we take care of them, It is the Caymanians way. Those who is unwilling to wait until this island is safe for the sake of “money” you are most welcome to leave like you did after Ivan and after the “lazy Caymanians” clean it up you can come back again with you slave mentality, unfortunately our “Caymanian Kind” will welcome you with open arms.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Were you here after Ivan? That isn’t really how I remember it.

        All the crime got blamed on the Jamaicans and Central Americans who were let in for the rebuild. It wasn’t just Caymanians drying documents in the sun for the financial services business and looking up at the blue tarp where the roof used to be when people went home.

        Anyway lots of the expats who helped keep the economy going after Ivan have been upgraded to Driftwood now so they aren’t going anywhere.

        Ya can’t have it both ways

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        • Anonymous says:

          The way I remember it is ” they were blamed for what they did. Caymanians got their share too.

      • Anonymous says:

        Don’t worry, it’s time to open up and see how we do, he’ll yank it away again if we don’t

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      • Anonymous says:

        You are vapid!

  19. Anonymous says:

    Strawman argument given to us by the government to comply.

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  20. Anonymous says:

    And all those ‘senior’ haters who believe we should be left to die, stay away from us on the beach!

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    • Anonymous says:

      Stay yo ass home if you ‘fraid

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      • Anonymous says:

        @8.57am LMAO How you conclude that ‘fraid? My ass ain’t staying home but ya ass will be sore!

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    • Anonymous says:

      Calm down, memaw. No one hates seniors. All we want is a plan for how we’re going to protect the vulnerable so that those who are young and less of a risk can get on with work and life.

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    • anon says:

      I’m a 75 year old expat and I don’t need protecting. We are all going to die sooner or later, and Corona virus does not worry me in the slightest. What does worry me are the stupid decisions Govt has made in some instances which provide no discernible benefit in reducing the Covid risk, yet cause extreme inconvenience to the law abiding public.

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      • Anonymous says:

        I am 75 and getting Covid 19 is not something I am looking forward. I am also a Caymanian and appreciate what the government is doing. If you do not appreciate then too bad for you, you will just have to suck it up.

      • Anonymous says:

        Then you can take your 75 year old expat self back to where you came from. We actually care about the wellbeing of our elderly here in the Cayman Islands and have great respect for them.

        So if you do not like how things are being handled, leave. Repatriation flights are happening often!

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  21. Anonymous says:

    Nothing to do with James Austin smith ! Just a matter of time before things get better, not sure if you missed the man that sits in the middle at the press conference, but the country he represents ultimately calls the shots, the government is doing a good , every country is trying to figure out the best way to deal with this pandemic , it’s easy to sit back and criticize but not so easy to come up with a solution

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  22. Anonymous says:

    Cayman – we don’t have anything close to a pandemic here. That requires 1% of the population to be infected which would equate to 500 people. We have less than 0.05%. Problem is the MLA’a live in their ivory tower A/C, never go the beach, certainly never exercise and have a pension for life. They are loving it!!

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  23. Anonymous says:

    The prospect of the beaches opening up again for exercising has just made my day. I just hope that douche bags don’t ruin it for us yet again. All beaches should be made a booze free zones. Anyone caught with a beer should be fined. You aren’t exercising if you have a drink in hand and don’t think you are fooling any of us.

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    • Anonymous says:

      @8.33PM What would you do if you do see that? What did those that saw it happening last time do?

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      • Anonymous says:

        8:33 When I saw it last time I spoke to people and told them they were being selfish and going to get the beaches closed for all of us. Received rude marks and verbal abuse in response.. Next time i’m going to take photos. Maybe we cant start a shame group? We cant call the police on them but a healthy dose of shame may help.. Or maybe thats now illegal. Everything seems illegal these days.

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        • Anonymous says:

          Woe unto those who try to stop the young people from their right to party and get drunk anywhere they want. They don’t care if you die because life isn’t worth living if you aren’t having fun. Older people shouldn’t complain; ye reap what ye sow. The me-me-me generation didn’t become that way for no reason.

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        • Anonymous says:

          Always remember, you can’t fix stupid! This whole pandemic thing proves how scarce ‘common sense’ is these days. And, just how much stupidity we have among us. I wish Jon Jon would interpret 6 feet distancing in all the many languages. I swear most everyone haven’t a clue. Just watch them lining up outside the supermarkets. Frustrating.

    • Anonymous says:

      Made my day as well. But the police must be ready to enforce the rules, not just complain about people who don’t follow.
      Exercise only, no booze, no sunbathing. No coolers.

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      • Anonymous says:

        How does banning any of those activities achieve the goal of preventing the spread of the virus? Let people live their lives in compliance with the social distancing requirements

    • Anonymous says:

      Captain of the no fun police. Who says I can’t have a beer and properly social distance. Sitting and enjoying the sea is just as much exercise for the mind.

      Not all of us are triathletes and some of us physically can’t exercise. Does that mean we don’t get to enjoy the sea?

      Get off your high horse.

      The beach is for everyone, the important thing here is that we don’t congregate with others.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Just don’t, think of others, you will run it for the rest of us.

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      • Anonymous says:

        7:08 Exercise is healthy and strengthens your immune system and might help you fight off getting this virus. Walking is also exercise and swimming are healthy. You can walk and enjoy the beach and no have a beer FFS. Drinking removes inhibitions and makes people more social and thus more likely to break social distancing rules. If you cant resist the impulse perhaps you need some help with your alcohol addiction? Self control is a good thing to have which you evidently lack. I love a drink as much as anyone but at least I have the self will to do it in my own effing home.

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    • Anonymous says:

      I’m training for the Beer Mile. Prove me wrong.

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  24. Anonymous says:

    Alden, saving lives by ruining many others. New campaign slogan? Remember the people you see at the briefing are essential and haven’t missed a paycheck. If you have missed a paycheck, well you know where you fall.

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  25. Anonymous says:

    Thank you James Austin-Smith! Next up, can you get us back our right to party?

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  26. Anonymous says:

    St.Barth’s, a few weeks ahead of us, has navigated thru to the “no new cases“ zone. Their hotels and restaurants are offering future stay “tourism bonds“ worth $150 for every $100 spent. Our furloughed businesses should be thinking that way. Our household would buy a full booklets of dive packages, and weeks of hotel/staycationing vouchers if they were available with some kind of realistic redemption horizon.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Great post! Time to buy “futures” in what you want! win-win, we save money, businesses stay alive

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    • Anonymous says:

      What you are ignoring is that St. Barts made the decision decades ago to become a high end tourist destination focussing on stay over visitors. Not cruise ship people by the thousands every day. We could learn a lot from the St. Barts model.

      We need to distinguish ourselves from Cuba and Jamaica by going after the high end tourism market. We will not survive because of our high costs, if we do not go that way.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Big thank you to 757am

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      • Anonymous says:

        Had guests once who vacation in St Barths annually. Only once, they went back once it recovered from the hurricane damage. We need to do better.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Agreed , wealthy visitors want exclusivity not offered by hordes of trailer park Carnival tourists.

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      • Anonymous says:

        I’m not saying that Covid would not have come here anyway, but we will never forget our first patient and death… From a cruise ship…
        Our stats would have been more worth bragging rights without that one death!!!

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    • Anonymous says:

      Think out of the box. Cayman Airways should sell discounted coupons for future travel now for whenever this situation is resolved. It will guarantee full loads and revenue. When restrictions are lifted the big boys AA and company will offer huge discounts.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Kind of like the open-ended employee, friends, Bracers, and political family perks, except with incoming revenue. My head just exploded.

      • Anon a mouse says:

        Maybe they should guarantee on time arrival. Someone might actually choose them over another carrier.

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    • Anonymous says:

      “redemption horizon” Wouldn’t we all like to understand the redemption horizon, how to get there and if it’s realistically possible.

  27. Say it like it is says:

    Premier still trying to lay the blame for the Sunday hard curfew and beach ban on the Police Commissioner, but we all know who really calls the shots.
    I am beginning to wonder if we have our own mutated version of the virus, as only a handful have been hospitalised and most are asymptomatic. Has any attempt been made to analyse this for if we do have only a mild version this should be factored into the Premier’s plan. If most of us will only suffer the equivalent of a severe case of flu if we catch it,, should we be bankrupting the country and it’s residents to stop this? (civil servants and politicians excepted).

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    • Anonymous says:

      7:34 pm, we don’t have a mild version. The government took early action to educate citizens and lockdown the Islands. That has worked for us.

      Health and economy are twins of the same formula for survival.

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      • anon says:

        7.46am Just look at the outcome on the positive cases, are you suggesting Govt has a magical formula that avoids hospitalisation and ventilator treatment?.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Lock down doesn’t explain the low ratios of positive people needing hospitalization or being asymptomatic tho, does it? It could explain why fewer people are rocking up with symptoms – because fewer people catch iot ion lock down – but does not explain why those that are detected seem to rarely suffer serious symptoms.

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    • Anonymous says:

      And maybe, people already had it months ago and all this drama is unnecessary and an overstep on human rights.

      Why does the government not need to entertain this possibility and do antibody testing to ascertain the actual scenario?

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      • Anonymous says:

        Yes, maybe this and maybe that. Isn’t that the whole point? Nobody knows, so with the evidence of it affecting your children now, will that make you think differently? But prob not, because you can’t wait to get out of the house away from your families that you love so much, and are willing to wager their health so you can go to the bar and talk about sh*t in someone else’s marriage while you spew out your germs to everyone in the bar because wearing a mask imposes on your civil liberties. Get over yourself.

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  28. Anonymous says:

    Will the mechanics be opened as well on Tuesday?

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  29. Anonymous says:

    Thank you for listening to the community about their legitimate requests to use the beach for exercise and also the lifting of the unexplainable Sunday hard curfew. While I hope this was done willingly and for the right reasons there was certainly significant pressure applied recently that these restrictions were not proportional or reasonable given the task at hand, which is to restrict the virus.
    After hearing the response today to the diving question I would ask the government to reconsider the initial position. On the face of it there is no watersport activity where you are less likely to catch or spread the virus as diving! If I wish to go diving with a buddy from shore, we have our own equipment and respect social distancing rules then what risk is there? Can the virus survive at 60 ft depth in seawater? This is the kind of thing the government needs to consider when making these rulings, otherwise we go back to arbitrary concerns expressed before. If they will allow fishing from a boat for 2 people, or fishing from shore, why not diving or at least diving from shore?

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    • Anonymous says:

      You seem to be missing the point. It’s not just about your social distancing, it’s also about first responders ability to respond if necessary and YOU putting them in harm’s way unnecessarily. You do not need to dive right now. Find another outlet.

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      • Anonymous says:

        What else are the first responders doing? Certainly not dealing with The non existent Covid cases. Spraying people hands with mystery substances more like.

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        • Anonymous says:

          CBC earning a ton of overtime, for what?
          They’re not qualified to do their own jobs, let alone the po-po’s.

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      • Philip says:

        Rubbish, their has never been more police presence on the water than we have right now, for the police to use an excuse such as “not enough resources “ is a blatant lie, and their bluff should be called.

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      • anon says:

        8.13am Not so. We are talking about local experienced divers ,not hordes of geriatric tourists who dive with existing health conditions. You are obviously not a diver.

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        • Anonymous says:

          I can see the headlines now. 87 year old local with underlying heart condition goes scuba diving, dies from Covid-19

      • Anonymous says:

        Yes but our hospitals are not overwhelmed in fact I’d say this is the time to go and get any surgery or anything done because they’re over prepared and underwhelmed.

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  30. Anonymous says:

    Today’s NAS Report says one minute of loud speaking can generate over 1000 virus-containing droplets that can stay aloft in the air for at least eight minutes. This is why we must distance and wear a mask – to catch that vapour. No talking n the supermarkets might be a good idea too.

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  31. Anonymous says:

    With 83.7% of the population now willingly and deliberately violating the shelter in place regulations, yet still no real community spread of their “pandemic “ they are left with no option but to open her up.

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    • Anonymous says:

      I like this comment, 83.7% of the population are probably trying to recall if it was them that posted it ; )

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    • Anonymous says:

      “83.7% of the population now willingly and deliberately violating the shelter in place regulations”

      Excuse me where did this statistic come from?

      From someone who has obeyed the regulations.

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    • Anonymous says:

      7:03 pm: Did you dream up this statistic?

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  32. Anonymous says:

    Oh good, at least now our starving people can look forward to a nice big plate of sand for dinner.

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  33. Anonymous says:

    For all of you having a pop at James Austin Smith and others who have questioned whether the recurrent hard curfew on Sunday, marine activities and access to the beach are either allowed under the Police Law s.49 or constitutional, do you think that its simply a coincidence that its being relaxed now? Oh, its down to the low level of new cases (even though they are higher than before and clearly demonstrate that we have virus in the community) – right.

    The Premier doesn’t seem to care if his government gets sued – he’s used to it by now – but I suspect the Governor got a little concerned that the Police Law – which is under his watch, not the Premier’s – may just be being employed beyond its strict legal bounds.

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    • Anonymous says:

      The old saying is that you can always tell a politician is lying to you by seeing if his lips are moving…. that is what I was thinking watching today’s press conference. I think the above post has a point, the Governor “assured” us that everything was done above board and in full compliance with the regulations, yet he has yet to produce any evidence that this is the case.

      The longer the wait to publish the mandatory written order(s) authorizing the curfews and cordons under S.49 of The Police Law, the more I will believe that they are being created after the fact. I will love to eventually read the flimsy and convoluted argument (which is no doubt being cobbled together at this very moment) justifying how a curfew that cannot extend past 48 hours has been going on for the better part of six weeks, and how a cordon order which cannot extend past 12 hours has been going on nearly as long.

      And while I write this….what is with that dystopian speaker truck blaring that we are under curfew driving around the island? Do we really need to feel like we live in any more of a police state?

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      • Anonymous says:

        That same truck should be handing out individually sealed, reusable and washable masks. Ministers money would be better spent on this than all the unsealed single use paper masks being handed out and then thrown down all over the streets.

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        • Anonymous says:

          Really? They came right down to the end of my road on Victory, made their announcement and left….no mask was issued tho.

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        • Anonymous says:

          The anti Government WILL BE anti Government!

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          • Anonymous says:

            Ye who is quick to judge and make assumptions. I am the original poster and definitely not anti-government, just offering sensible solutions for so many reasons. The masks from the minister are single use, disposable masks that people are just throwing down on the streets, to end up on Mount Trashmore. They are not individually sealed and are being handled multiple times before being handed out to a limited few, and are not being widely distributed Furthermore people are not being told that the masks are single use, and are walking round with a live paper petri dish over their mouths for weeks. The truck goes around all districts and would be a much more effective way to distribute.

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            • Anonymous says:

              If the masks are not individually sealed, why would anyone wnt to put one on. You have no idea how many pairs of hands have handled them – why would you want to strap something over your face that may be coated in COVID 19?

              • Anonymous says:

                I set out stating the truck should be distributing individually sealed, reusable and washable masks and pointing this out. I refused one of the MLA masks for exactly that reason at Ozzy’s gas station.

        • Anonymous says:

          It used to be the MLAs only distributed kitchen appliances….

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          • Anonymous says:

            Which they had to pay for themselves – now the taxpayer pays for the stuff they hand out.

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            • Anonymous says:

              We always paid for it, not them.

            • Anonymous says:

              Yeah i agree they should use their own money to buy job security from their constituents…. even if it was earned through “consulting fees” to “advise” on projects such as the port disaster….at least some of this money is making back to the community

        • Anonymous says:

          So are masks going to replace, or be in addition to the kitchen appliances the MLAs distribute? I guess it can be both since the election is a ways off

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        • Anonymous says:

          People make you own, Google it, start learning to take care of yourself. What’s wrong with you???

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        • Anonymous says:

          It’s not the Ministers` money. It’s hnot the Government’s money. IT’S THE PEOPLE’S MONEY. IT’S OUR MONEY – not theirs, even if we continue to allow them to squander it.
          Shame on us.

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