Barbados’ Prime Minister Mia Mottley understanding the need to jump-start economic activity and create more jobs on the island recently announced the removal of curfew restrictions from June 30.
During an address to the nation, Prime Minister Mottley also disclosed plans for the imminent reopening of the entertainment sector while reminding citizens that should numbers begin to increase strict protocols would be re-introduced. “Hopefully, we won’t have to see it (curfew) again, but that is up to all of us. I cannot promise you that we would not apply brakes if we have problems. But on the current trajectory of the last 90 days, we anticipate that as long as we continue to behave as we have been behaving, then they would be no reason to reintroduce it.”
It was also made clear that it was not practical or possible to have the traditional Crop Over events, however, promoters and stagers of events would be permitted to host parties and limes limited to 150 persons in any one location.
Carnival bandleaders will be on the receiving end of some reprieve as bandleaders who design costumes for Junior and Grand Kadooment would receive $10,000, while designers for one band, either for Junior or Grand Kadooment, would be given $7,500.
Calypsonians and the hosting of tents weren’t shafted and according to the Prime Minister, the National Cultural Foundation would provide support to the tune of $5,000 to each tent, and the costs for streaming the performances live to the public by the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation would be underwritten by the government.
Bonafide party and events promoters are to benefit from $5,000 in cash and financial support for some of their infrastructural costs to ensure that the venues can be approved and effectively monitored by the island’s Ministry of Health.
“We want to ensure that these numbers stay where they are. The conditions that we have put in place for those events of 150 is that persons are either fully vaccinated, meaning 14 days or more with double vaccination, if it is a double vaccination course. The only one that is not double, thus far, is Johnson and Johnson. We haven’t been deploying that locally, but that doesn’t mean that Bajans haven’t gotten it overseas, so we have to be ready for that. So, whatever is the full dose, 14 days thereafter, and because we are not having an exclusionary framework for Bajans who have not been vaccinated, or that you have taken a PCR test within 48 hours of coming to the event,” she said.