Mayor of New Amsterdam, Winifred Haywood has issued some new rules in light of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in Guyana. In the rules issued earlier today, Mayor Haywood ordered the immediate closure of all bars, rum shops and other hangout spots and beauty parlours including hair salons, barbers, tattoo and piercing shops.
The New Amsterdam Mayor and Town Council stated that all Churches, Mandirs and Mosques and other Religious groups are asked to cease hosting their respective services, until further notice. Residents are asked to be indoors by 7pm. As it relates to restaurants, there are only allowed to offer delivery services until 4pm.
Supermarkets and grocery shop owners, are to carefully monitor the intake of customers and have to be closed by 4:30pm. Pitt Street, the main shopping area in New Amsterdam has been closed with immediate effect and sanitization works will commence on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, pharmacies are to remain open until 6pm. Markets will be closed at 12:00hrs (midday) on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday and will be closed on Wednesdays and Sundays. Only persons selling essential products, such as green and yellow vegetables, fruits and meats will be allowed to vend in the market.
Vendors selling non-essential items, such as clothing, shoes will not be permitted to do business. Furthermore, the New Amsterdam Municipal Business Complex will be closed tomorrow for sanitization works. With respect to pensioners, the monthly outreach at the New Amsterdam Post office on April 1, has been cancelled.
Failure to comply with the new guidelines, the Guyana Police Force will be informed, to take necessary action. In the meantime, the Mayor has advised that residents eat healthy foods, so as to build their immune system, and in so doing fight the COVID -19.
