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CONFEDERATION of Regional Business Chambers Jai Leladarsingh said his confederation disagreed with a call by the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce, TT Manufacturers Association and the American Chamber of Commerce's (Amcham) on Wednesday for additional measures to curb the spread of covid19.
Leladarsingh said the confederation also disagreed with a suggestion, that did not come from the Chamber, TTMA or Amcham, for a 6 pm-6 am curfew.
In a joint statement on Wednesday, after a meeting between the Govenment and the private sector, the Chamber, TTMA and Amcham asked Government to "consider introducing additional measures to reduce the movement and interaction of citizens in the public domain over the next two weeks."
The groups identified no specific measure to achieve this goal, in their statement.
At a virtual news conference after the meeting, Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Stuart Young said a suggestion of a 6 pm-6 am curfew was made by the Downtown Owners and Merchants Association (DOMA), but no decision was taken on it. Young said if this was done, essential businesses which are allowed to open under the public health and state of emergency (SoE) regulations would have to close by 4 pm to let their workers get home before 6 pm.
He explained the meeting was held to get recommendations from the private sector about covid19 and a phased reopening of the economy.
"The Government has taken no decision."
Leladarsingh said a 6 pm-6 am curfew could be counterproductive to efforts to combat covid19.
"What that does is that it pushes a rush and a congregation of persons (during the permitted business hours)."
Leladarsingh agreed with that view.
"One risk that may resonate is that persons will tend to congregate in greater numbers than before and will create the conditions for greater covid spread."
He added, "Serious social dislocation can eventually occur."
When the Prime Minister declared the SoE on May 15, he said there would be an associated daily 9 pm-5 am curfew.
The Chamber, in a statement issued before the SoE, suggested curfews of 9 pm-5 am (Monday-Friday) and 5 pm-5 am (on weekends), to reduce the movement of people.
Leladarsingh said the best strategy is encouraging citizens "to continually adhere to the health protocols, the laws that govern the SoE and try to be vaccinated."
On Wednesday, Supermarkets Association president Rajiv Diptee said no agreement was made about any changes to existing covid19 measures, during the meeting.
"The extension of curfew hours and shopping dates by surname were discussed and at the same time were disparaged as in terms of logistics: they are not feasible for the public and the interest of the efforts being made at this time.
Other business representatives, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there was no agreement about changing the curfew time during Wednesday's meeting.
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