Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Desmond McKenzie, has highlighted that even though the Prime Minister has eased some COVID-19 restrictions, parties and nightclubs are still not allowed to be open.

Speaking at a meeting in the Westmorland Municipal Corporation last week, McKenzie stressed that despite fewer COVID-19 cases and more restrictions being eased, the embargo placed on the entertainment sector has not been lifted and the public should be fully aware of this.

“Let me say that we have not removed the restrictions on entertainment, so parties and nightclubs are not permitted to be opened.”

“So, any party that takes place, and any nightclub that is opened and engaging in music and dancing, is doing so in contravention of the Disaster Risk Management Act,” the Minister stated.

McKenzie also said that he is fully aware of the struggles the entertainment sector has been having and the government has tried to, earlier this year, ease the restrictions it put in place. However, due to a spike that occurred in August, they were forced to close the sector again.

“We are looking at measures that will allow us to consider how we approach it, but we also have to be mindful that we did make some concessions, and some of the players (in the entertainment industry) didn’t live up to the commitments that they gave,” he said.

McKenzie continued “While we understand the hardships that those persons in the sector experience, we also have to look at the wider picture.”