CoP: Only essential activity permitted during Public Holiday Curfew hours.
Commissioner of Police, Gary Griffith, is stating that based on the advice of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago and drawing from the regulations which allow for the Commissioner to vary the curfew times, the holiday curfew hours for Monday 31st May 2021 and Thursday 3rd June 2021 shall be 10am to 5am the following day. Those being the public holidays of Indian Arrival Day and Corpus Christi respectively.
The Commissioner of Police is advising that the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) will be out in full force during the public holidays.
In response to the “adjusted curfew hours”, Commissioner Griffith says only critical essential workers either on their way to or on their way back from work will be allowed on the roads during this period of 10 am on the public holiday to 5am the following day. Such workers include (though are not necessarily limited to) the media, private security officers, healthcare workers, sea and airport workers, and energy sector workers. The CoP says that these persons must possess their work ID cards. Persons seeking urgent medical treatment or with critical care appointments such as dialysis treatment or those attending already scheduled funerals should explain to officers where they are going. Officers have been advised to accommodate persons in such cases.
Commissioner Griffith points out that he has restricted the Curfew Permits to 13,000 out of 380,000 requested, based solely on those who needed to be on the roads between the 9pm and 5am curfew. For the purpose of the two public holidays however, these curfew permits will apply to the adjusted curfew hours as well.
The CoP notes that he has briefed officers who will be conducting road exercises on Monday and Thursday between 10am – 5am, to ticket, charge, or clear persons on a case by case basis.
The Commissioner recognizes that there will be those essential workers going to or returning from shift duty without curfew permits. In those circumstances, the employee simply needs to produce the company identification card and explain to the officer where he or she is going to or coming from. Employers are also encouraged to provide letters, if possible, to these employees. These letters will be acceptable, even if electronic.
Should provision of this additional support document not be possible for Monday, the Commissioner has asked police officers to exercise their discretion and as far as possible to ensure essential workers are allowed to go to and return from work.
Commissioner Griffith says he has also received several calls and messages from persons including owners of livestock, persons who have to feed the elderly, and those with emergencies. He asks that these persons, along with those who have to go to the airport for an early morning flight or any other persons with a legitimate emergency to contact the Operational Command Centre at 480-2000 or 612-3876 for the necessary clearance.
Finally, the Commissioner advises that while commercial fishing remains allowable, movement of pleasure crafts during the holiday curfew hours is strictly prohibited. If boats are anchored at homes ‘down the islands’ by 10 am they will have to remain at those homes until 5am Tuesday morning and likewise for Thursday into Friday.
The CoP says if you do not fall within the categories mentioned above, then you would have no right to be on the streets or waterways during the curfew period. He asks that persons with no legitimate business during this period, remain at home.
Please note that these adjustments are applicable to the holiday curfew days only.
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