Published 19 April 2020
Buckie Got It, St. Kitts and Nevis News Source
Buses to carry more passengers as government relaxes restrictions during State of Emergency
BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, April 19, 2020 (PLP PR Media Inc.) — In order to continue the fight against COVID-19, Prime Minister Dr the Hon Timothy Harris, on Friday April 17 successfully moved a Resolution during an emergency sitting of the National Assembly to have the State of Emergency extended for a period of six months.
With the State of Emergency fully in place, government is introducing a measure of easement and relaxation of the restrictions to allow for persons get out to the world of work and earn some income on days of limited operations, which include Monday April 20, Tuesday April 21, Thursday April 23 and Friday April 24.
This will call for more people travelling and good news for passenger bus operators and the general travelling public was relayed by Prime Minister Harris on Saturday April 18 when he appeared as a special guest on the popular Inside the News programme hosted by Mr Clive Bacchus on WINN FM 98.9.
“In the public transportation there is every effort to assist the bus operators,” said Dr Harris. “There will be increase in the number of passengers that they can carry, but that is under Regulation 16 – 8.”
He added: “Before we had one passenger per row, now there shall be no more than two passengers per row, so it means they can go from about four to about eight passengers. The bus would normally take between fourteen and fifteen passengers, so they are in a better position financially.”
The bus operators were however reminded that they will not only be observing the social distancing protocol – the staggered approach – to the sitting of passengers, but they have to ensure that masks are worn, and they have to have sanitizers and ensure that they clean the seats, the door knobs and all other surfaces of the buses to minimise transmission of the virus.
The Honourable Prime Minister observed that once every health precaution is being taken, there will be facilitation for those going about with their daily business activities. That easement of the restrictions is to allow for more persons to be able to get out in the world of work and earn some income, but he insisted that it has to be done in a measured way.
“We are attempting to help as many persons as possible, but we want people to exercise caution because we are not yet out of the woods,” advised Prime Minister Harris who appeared on the Inside the News programme along with the Chief Medical Officer, Dr Hazel Laws.
