Gov’t to probe alleged breach of Covid-19 protocols at luxury resort
Spread the love
The country’s tourism minister said he has given his full support to an investigation that will be conducted into an apparent breach of health and safety protocols at the Hodges Bay Resort and Spa.
The probe, to be conducted by both the Ministries of Health and Legal Affairs, follows the circulation of videos and images of parties and events that apparently took place recently at the resort.
They show people standing and sitting closely together, violating rules on physical distancing and facemask-wearing.
In one of the images, obtained by Observer, a waitress is seen serving guests without wearing a mask.
Liquor licensing process goes online royalgazette.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from royalgazette.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Government announces $1.4 billion budget
The government of Antigua and Barbuda has announced an EC$1.4 billion budget for 2021, with the hopes that improvements in tax collection, an increase in capital spending, and overall enhancements in its fiscal strategy, will yield a projected growth rate of 3 percent.
“I am pleased, Mr Speaker, that this budget introduces no austerity measures, nor does it cut back on social sector spending on health, education and public services.
The budget also introduces no new taxes on our people. It merely strengthens tax administration and improves tax compliance,” Prime Minister Gaston Browne said in parliament on Thursday, before presenting this year’s budget.
At last, at long last
Spread the love
Ours is a most remarkable administration. Its distinguished members have the uncanny ability to turn even the most routine undertaking into rocket science. Take, for instance, the matter of the tracking bracelets. To our mind, it is one of the easier tools that an administration can employ to track those under quarantine who are not staying put in the places where they ought to. No big thing. The technology has been around for years, used by the courts and prison officials in some countries, to monitor those on parole or other penal restrictions. As Mr. Jeff Jarosinski, one of the first to be affixed with the device, explained,
Splitting police from the fire brigade is still on the cards
Spread the love
Public Safety Minister Steadroy Benjamin says talks regarding separating the Fire Department from the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda are still on the cards, however, there are several factors to be considered before a final determination is made.
The Fire Department has been pushing to achieve this goal for a number of years. Many believe a separation would result in better training for firefighters and faster response times, by allowing them to focus specifically on fire duties.
Fire Chief Assistant Commissioner of Police Elvis Weaver told a news conference last week that the matter remains in the hands of the government.