by Kevon Browne
St. Kitts and Nevis (WINN): In light of the current community spread of COVID-19 in the Federation, a partial lockdown that significantly restricts movement is in effect.
The Statutory Rules and Orders (SRO) 21 of 2021 came into effect from 6 p.m. on Saturday, June 12, and will expire at midnight on Saturday, June 26, 2021.
A strict curfew from 6.00 p.m. to 5 a.m. requires every person to remain at home except people deemed “Essential Workers”.
In case you are wondering who qualifies as an Essential Worker, here is how that is defined in the current SRO as issued by the Royal St Christopher and Nevis Police Force:
” An “essential worker” includes personnel from:
(a) the Royal Saint Christopher and Nevis Police Force;
(b) Saint Christopher and Nevis Defence Force;
(c) the Fire and Rescue Services Department;
(d) National Emergency Management Agency and Nevis Disaster Management Department, the National Emergency Operating Centre, the Health Emergency Operating Centre, and any other Disaster Management Services;
(e) the prisons, correctional facilities, or other similar establishments;
(f) any hospital, health care facility, health centre, designated vaccination site, or approved medical facility;
(g) the Customs Department;
(h) the Immigration Department;
(i) the Air and Sea Ports Authorities;
(j) the essential media personnel of a Media House;
(k) the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Attorney General’s Chambers, Members of Parliament, the Secretary to the Cabinet;
(l) the emergency technical personnel of any water, electricity or other sector encompassing the provision of electronic communications including print and electronic media;
(m) the Government Printery;
(n) approved hotels or approved quarantine facilities;
(o) approved COVID-19 taxi operators; and
(p) approved COVID-19 ferry operators.
All essential workers should have personal identification and official work identification where possible.
Superintendent Cromwell Henry, during the media briefing hosted by the National Emergency Operations Center(NEOC) on June 12, made it clear that Essential Workers are only allowed to move around during the restricted period while on duty.
“So if you are off and you are in any one of these categories you are not permitted to be out just by virtue of your job, you must be on duty to be exempted.”
A non-essential worker who is required to move from his or her home during the 14 days (June 12- June 26) must have approval from the Commissioner of Police.
Applications can be made at https://police.kn/
