Dear Member,

The Barbados Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BCCI) is aware that there are a number of concerns from some of our members regarding the curfew and restricted access commencing Saturday, March 28 at 8:00 P.M. and ending April 14^th as announced by Government as part of the country’s  national response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The BCCI will be collating the concerns and queries received from members via email to the Secretariat today and will submit these to the BPSA, who will be submitting a list on behalf of the Private Sector to the Attorney General with a view to obtaining a response before the curfew starts tomorrow night (Saturday, March 28).

In accordance with the announcement by the Attorney General & the Minister of Legal Affairs, the Hon. Dale Marshall on March 27^th, members are asked to take special note of the following:

ALL BUSINESSES with few exceptions (outlined below) are to be closed from Saturday March 27th at 8 p.m. to re-open on April 15th, 2020. This is to ensure that there is substantial reduction in human interaction over the prescribed period.

Essential Services
In addition to the Police, Barbados Defence Force, Disaster Management Services and uniformed services including fire service, prison officers and the Customs Department as well as Medical personnel, and para medicals, caregivers, pharmaceutical employees, electricity, water and telecommunications services, Media and security personnel, the following are also exempt from the curfew order and are permitted to operate with limited personnel where possible:

1. Supermarkets
2. Farms (5 A.M. – 6 P.M.)
3. Pharmacies, drink manufacturers, processors (8 A.M.- 5 P.M.)
4. Abattoirs, butcher shops, fish markets (8 A.M. – 5 P.M.)
5. Bakeries (6 A.M. – 6 P.M.)
6. Banks, Credit Unions and other Financial Services Entities (excluding Insurance Companies) (9 A.M. – 5 P.M.)
7. Cleaning Services (companies) (7 A.M. – 6 P.M.)
8. Restaurants – (11 A.M. – 5 P.M.) for drive through or take away ONLY
9. Fuel manufacturers, fuel storage facilities, fuel distribution businesses (7 A.M. – 5 P.M.)
10. Gas Stations (7 A.M. – 7 P.M.)
11. Delivery services for food groceries and pharmaceuticals (8 A.M. – 6 P.M.)
12. Hotels and Villas can operate for the full 24 hr – however gaming rooms, spas, gyms, tennis courts, squash and any other ancillary recreational services provided in hotels are prohibited included dine-in restaurants.
13. Portvale Sugar Factory
14. Veterinary services for animals in distress
15. Airport and Seaport
16. Persons and or companies dealing with the deceased
17. Transportation Services

• An exemption has been granted for construction work at Harrison’s Point, which is to be an isolation centre for COVID-19 patients to continue during the curfew period. No other construction is allowed.

• Hardware stores are also closed except for those providing input components to the Harrison’s Point project.

• ALL places of worship are closed except for funeral and weddings
  • Weddings – are to be attended by the bride, bridegroom, official witnesses and marriage officer
  • Funerals – no more than 10 mourners are permitted among with the funeral director, necessary staff and the officiant
• There are to be no private parties, sporting event, meetings of social clubs, civic organizations etc.

Public Service
Some Government services will be open using a skeleton staff from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. These include:

• Office of AG
• Registrar of Supreme Court
• Director of Public Prosecutions
• National Assistance Board
• Government Laboratories
• National Insurance Department
• Treasury
• Central Bank
• Central Purchasing Department
• Civil Aviation
• Barbados Tourism Management Inc
• Barbados Revenue Authority
• Ministry of Commerce
• Post Office
• Cabinet Office
• Ministry of the Public Service
• Min of Foreign Affairs (but not Foreign Trade)
• Meteorological Department

Persons are confined to their places of residence during curfew hours as part of the public health emergency that has been declared as part of Government’s efforts to combat the further spread of COVID-19. Note that persons found in breach of the order are liable to a fine of $50,000 or 12-months imprisonment or both.

The Chamber encourages you to continue to practice health and safety measures to protect you and your family.

We take this opportunity to advise that in order to continue to provide support to you our Members, the Secretariat team will be working remotely during the period March 30, 2020 until April 15, 2020.

The BCCI will be accessible via telephone and email during this period. We will circulate the contact details for members of the Secretariat team shortly.