Chief Environmental Health Officer Mr Lionel E. Michael, along with the assistance of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF), halted operations last night, September 11, 2021, because there were allegedly no social distancing among the well-attended crowd.

“Some of the customers were behaving hostile, cussing, using abusive language, and the owner of the bar was uncooperative. She took the ticket and slammed it on the counter. Is a good thing the police was there to give support,” Mr Michael said.

He also said on September 8, 2021, a bar was also closed in Anegada and was also fined $1,000 for not enforcing the social distancing and wearing of masks.

Chief Environmental Health Officer Mr Lionel E. Michael, along with the assistance of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF), halted operations last night, September 11, 2021, because there were allegedly no social distancing among the well-attended crowd at the bar in Sea Cows Bay.

Next Steps

“The procedure upon issuing a fixed penalty ticket for a business place includes (1) that they close, (2) that training takes place with the management and staff of the protocols and the measures followed by implementation of the measures and re-inspection and evaluation of the business to determine whether they can open. I don’t know how long that would take,” he stated.

Advice

The CEHO left some parting advice to liquor selling establishments.

“My message to them is that bars should take concrete measures that the Government COVID-19 Control and Suppression Measures are adhered to. The hand hygiene measures, the mask-wearing measures and the social distancing measures. They have to ensure that they have them in place and their customers follow them at all times. They have to make frequent announcements on their intercom systems and these types of things. They also have to play the music low to allow for conversations.”

This is also significant as the COVID-19 variants, especially Delta and Mu, were detected in the VI.