Quarantine breaker faces $10,000 fine

| 23/11/2020 | 70 Comments
Cayman News Service

(CNS): At least one traveller who was in isolation after returning from overseas is facing a $10,000 fine following a breach of the home quarantine rules on Thursday. Officials have given very few details of what is only the second breach of home isolation rules since the programme started at the beginning of October. The Public Health Department is continuing contact tracing, given the risk of the virus leaking into the community.

Officials did not say how many people the traveller met during the breach or under what circumstances. Officials said that the protocol after a person in isolation breaches the rules is to put the entire household in government quarantine or under 24 hour security at their expense but they did not say what had happened in this case.

No indication of the age or gender of the people involved in the breach or which district the incident happened have been releases and officials have not said how long they were into their two week isolation period or if anyone in the household had tested positive for the virus.

In short releases about the incident issues by government information services, officials stated that the Mobile Compliance Team, Public Health and the police had all visited the property, confirmed the breach and told the offender they would be prosecuted

“This matter is under investigation and a completed file will be sent to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution for a decision,” the release stated. “As the travellers in question have not yet completed their mandatory 14 day isolation period, out of an abundance of caution Public Health is completing contact tracing and any residents found to have been in close contact with the travellers in question will be contacted.”

Following a recent change to the the law, the individual is facing a $10,000 fine or two years jail time if they are convicted.


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Category: Crime, Health, Medical Health, Police

Comments (70)

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  1. John says:

    Apparently this Canadian couple were tourists with a vacation condo here. They asked the wristband to be put around their upper arm and they just slid it down the arm and off.
    I’ve been to plenty of events that need a wristband and they are always impossible to slide off. Why was that idea so hard to follow for the person putting on their bands?

  2. Anonymous says:

    The recent case of a Canadian couple XXXX who breached at-home isolation and were fined only $1000 each sets a dangerous precedent. The opportunity existed with judgement in that case to send a firm message as to the seriousness of breaching quarantine and the costs, but they received a slap on the wrist!

    XXXX

    Not everyone who is eligible for at-home isolation will respect Cayman and its residents and eventually someone will “leak” the virus into the community, so Government should cease allowing that option.

    1. Slow down the number of arrivals each week;
    2. Cease at-home isolation;
    3 ALL arrivals should be in Government quarantine!!

  3. Anonymous says:

    If the rumour mill is true, they were fined $1,000 in total. Ridiculous. It should be a fine per person per breech. Also, per the rumour mill, they refused to go into and pay for government quarantine. If true , I hope the govt learns and changes the rule such that everyone has to deposit the amount of 16days quarantine up front. If you do at home quarantine , after successful completion , this amount is refunded. I am so angered by this utterly selfish act

    • Anonymous says:

      That’s outrageous. Why such a small fine? From what I’ve heard, they broke quarantine several times. They should be fined the full $10,000.00 each. Send the right message,CIG! Don’t let idiots spoil home quarantine for people who do obey the rules.

  4. Anonymous says:

    It was a couple staying on Seven Mile Beach in a condo in my complex –

    • Anonymous says:

      But they didn’t stay in the condo, or even the complex. They should be in prison. The lack of effective enforcement is a joke.

    • Anonymous says:

      How did you find out this information ? Because there is a huge complex opposite me that I am worried now have quarantine units that are not quarantining. The government need to stick notices on the doors of these units for the safety of the community at large.

  5. ELVIS says:

    The world is full of idiots. simple

  6. Anonymous says:

    Cayman’s own MOH has shown everyone just what Caymanians think of laws and rules. They pretend to do their jobs. We pretend we don’t notice.

  7. George says:

    You state that this is the second case of someone breaking quarantine. Surely you mean the second case of someone getting caught.

  8. Anonymous says:

    “Cabin Fever.” Learning to be alone sometimes, is a challenge but not impossible. I loved my 2 weeks of solitude. A condo by the beach, 3 meals and in-between snacks, laundry service, and free internet. I couldn’t ask for better treatment. Thanks again CI government. I never felt more welcomed home than now. I am proud to be a Caymanian.

  9. Anonymous says:

    BoBo or TeTee, your action is putting the rest of us in danger. COVID-19 is real and it continues to affect many right here in this country as many of us have relatives and friends living overseas.

    I do not care whether you are Caymanian, PR, or a big property owner. Your action is selfish and careless, to say the least.

    No pity here from me BoBo or TeTee. A $10,000.00 fine might just wake you up and help you realise how stupid your action is. As my grandmother used to say to us, “If you can’t hear, you feel.”

  10. anon says:

    Today’s Compass refers to two persons not one – who is right?. In any event Govt as usual are very sparing with facts, given their track record I suspect this breach was reported to them and not identified by their fancy bracelets or “random inspection”.
    I also suspect we will not see any $10,000 fines handed out unless it involves rich expats.

    • Anonymous says:

      It was a couple apparently.

    • Anonymous says:

      I would tend to bet many more broke the isolation policy. I’m sure the one in isolation stayed put, but I would bet quite a few had visitors in the dark of night and then were gone before sunrise. With the rise in “ travelers in isolation “ testing positive, if these people were at home isolating, you can bet there is community spread. Let’s not be too naive. As almost all are asymptotic…. no one will really know…. until someone becomes symptomatic.

  11. Anonymous says:

    The whole community has made huge sacrifices to make Cayman Covid Zero as far as local transmission is concerned – We now have incredible freedoms as a result. If this quarantine breaker tests positive and we then get community transmissions and someone dies of the virus they should be tried for manslaughter (in addition to the 2 years in prison and the 10k fine which each of the quarantine breakers should certainly get anyway).

  12. Anonymous says:

    Yet still no spread.

  13. Anonymous says:

    Since you don’t know what the breach was, maybe give your gums a rest instead of demanding maximum punishment.

    • Anonymous says:

      65 thousand people can now walk around in freedom without masks, kids can attend in person classes and people can go to work as normal – all without fear that our elderly and vulnerable people will succumb to the virus – also what’s left our economy could be very seriously impacted if we get community transmission – this breach is not a minor matter – people could die

      • Anonymous says:

        EXACTLY! INFORCE THE RULES TO THE FULL EXTENT OF THE LAW! And we as citizens need to make sure we do our part to enforce these rules in place! Why is it not published who and where the persons that are on self isolation are? I feel that if my next door neighbor for example, is self isolating i should have that knowledge to be able to safeguard my family and to also help with the rules in place! We give too much people their freedom and “rights” yet take away from the innocent ones. If i was self isolating i would put up a sign or something to help the efforts to keep this thing at bay!

  14. Anonymous says:

    When you commit a crime, or are charged with one, isn’t your name usually published by the news media? What’s the difference with this type of offence? In Cayman a 10k fine isn’t a very big deal to a lot of people, but being named and shamed sure is. Seems to me that if you want people to follow the rules, the threat of people finding out would probably be more effective than a fine. Just sayin…

    CNS: No, the police do not release the names of people charged. Often the media doesn’t know until the suspect is in court. I don’t think you read much news here. 10k is a prohibitive amount of money to the average person in the Cayman Islands.

  15. Anonymous says:

    I have been through the home isolation and I know of two other families. Not once were any of us checked by the relevant authorities to see if we had any visitors. Unfortunately this lack of supervision sends the wrong message to those who cannot obey rules.

    I would be interested to know if anyone who has been in home isolation has received any visits from the relevant authorities.

    • Anonymous says:

      Our neighbours came from Canada and were not checked once either. They said their wristbands went off quite a few times as they got close to the “fence” while doing yardwork and taking out the garbage and nobody even called them.

    • Anonymous says:

      Phone stopped linking to the bracelet. Didnt get a call until the following day. The tech they promised to send within 2 hours didn’t turn up for 4 days. They need to do a better job of not only enforcing but publicizing the number of random checks if the system is to be credible to the point where its not just reliant on peoples honesty.

  16. Anonymous says:

    As someone who has done isolation at home and whose family is about to do it I say make the fine for breaking quarantine the property you quarantine in… you want to isolate at home no problem; you break quarantine you lose the home. Problem sorted.

  17. Anonymous says:

    Give a fine but make them do community service. In fact, just implement community service added to any of the infractions that only carry a fine. Insanely easy to do.

    • Anonymous says:

      Heavy fine plus community service if they don’t infect anybody else. Heavy fine plus prison time if they do.

  18. Anonymous says:

    Quarantine breach could be justified for many legal reasons. If there indeed was a breach.

  19. Anonymous says:

    Don’t be so quick throwing stones.

    Ever heard of Cabin Fever? It’s what happens when a person stays inside a small house all winter and never go out. They go crazy.

    I bet mental help is not provided to those who are in quarantine. Not everyone can cope with social deprivation while in isolation.

    I hope the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution is AWARE of that.

    • Anonymous says:

      Let me give you a blanket while you suck your thumb, you poor thing.

    • Andre says:

      Were you not here earlier in the year, from March through about June or July? All of us were on basically house arrest. We were stuck in our houses for weeks and weeks and even months at a time. Remember the police blockades/check pounts ?? The police helicopter? If someone cannot quarantine in their comfortable house for two weeks, then they probably should not be here. We all managed to survive a months long lockdown. And none of us got any breaks or excuses of “cabin fever“ to leave our homes.

    • Anonymous says:

      For two weeks? FFS, try an entire winter in the the very far north, then you will appreciate cabin fever. This/these ‘holes should experience some of your so called cabin fever in Northward.

    • Anonymous says:

      They actually call and check in on people and you are able to reach out if you need something! If you can’t handle it then you shouldn’t have agreed to it.

    • anonymous says:

      In the government quarantine facilities they provide an entire package of information including mental health information and 24 hour contact details. I spoke to government about this very issue since I suffer from depression and isolation is not a healthy scenario. If I can do it so can they and hopefully the full extent of the law will come to bear in this irresponsible behavior

    • Anonymous says:

      They chose to travel and ageeed to do quarantine when coming back or to the island. Are you suggesting that we ALL go through another lockdown for months because they couldnt handle 2 weeks? That sounds a bit selfish….

    • anon says:

      11.17am Try staying in a hotel room for 16 days, far worse than self isolating in your own home and garden (with pool?).

  20. Anonymous says:

    people can’t be trusted hence why this home quarantine nonsense is a recipe for disaster…
    who is checking for visitors???

  21. Anonymous says:

    What has happened in the case of the other isolation breach, since it was reported over a month ago?

  22. Anonymous says:

    How selfish of this person!!! Happy to know those quarantined are being watched!!!

  23. Anonymous says:

    People in ICU’s denying they have the COVID hoax, recent cruises returning with outbreaks of the virus, CDC officials appeal to the public not travel to travel this holiday weekend being protested and our contribution of quarantine being broken most recently and before; – the best comment I’ve seen, ‘as a species we deserve to go extinct’ becomes almost hard to argue against, humane nature is a crazy thing.

  24. Anonymous says:

    This is a deliberate and sad display of a lack of public concern and safety on behalf of this quarantine-breaker .. the repercussion of which could be deadly; trusting our GOV will send a strong message with its handling of this

    • Anonymous says:

      Was it a personal trainer and therefore seem to fall within legal exemptions from any actual enforcement. Is that correct Commissioner?

  25. Anonymous says:

    Fine them the full amount and send a clear message. Break the rules and suffer the consequences. Otherwise the home quarantine plan, and with it any hope of returning to normality, sort of, is dead and gone!

  26. Anonymous says:

    They say they rely on neighbors keeping a watchful eye and reporting people who break quarantine. How are we suppose to know if somebody is in quarantine when they don’t alert the neighbors?

    • Anonymous says:

      I know this is going to sound harsh, but if you haven’t noticed that your neighbor hasn’t been around for a week or two, or more, how are you going to spot when they are back and shouldn’t be out?

      • Anonymous says:

        Sunshine, the unit next to mine was vacant for months, as the previous occupant moved to a larger home. The recent occupants came from the US and did their quarantine next to my home. Nobody advised us to keep a watch out.

        • Anonymous says:

          I agree. When someone new moves in you don’t know if they are new to the island & have done government quarantine , if they are supposed to be quarantining or have been on the island a while & are just moving house. I’m not knocking on their door to find out.
          Signed
          At risk senior

  27. Anonymous says:

    I wish they would give us more information, such as what district this was in, whether the person(s) left their home or had someone visit them. We need to know what the actual risk is to the community.

    • Anonymous says:

      The risk is the same as it was, given that the home quarantaining are going to be spread ‘randomly’ around Grand Cayman, and any one of them at random could break quarantine today for some random reason, i.e., random chance of running in to you. (The risk is also very low, statistically.) So don’t panic and carry on physical distancing and hand washing.

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