ROSEAU, Dominica (CMC) — Dominica is exploring the possibility of reducing the curfew put in place as part of the measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) and says it is also making preparations to repatriate its students studying in Cuba.

Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit said it is hoped that an official announcement in this regard could be made on Wednesday, indicating also that the public service could become fully operational very soon.

“We are looking at pushing back the start of the curfew to about 10:00 pm or 11:00 pm (local time) and to extend the work day and also the return to work to the 40 hours and to abolish the work from home, especially in the public service.

“I believe we will also be looking at allowing restaurants to properly function with sit in dinners and lunches and we will also be looking at the issue of local guest houses and hotels opening, albeit for the time being for stay vacations. There are a number of Dominicans who would not mind going to a hotel for a weekend…,” Skerrit said, adding “I am hoping we can take a definitive position on this matters this week so it can be announced as early as Wednesday”.

Dominica has registered 18 confirmed cases of the COVID-19 and Skerrit said that efforts are continuing to get students stranded abroad back home.

At least 100 are due here on Tuesday and he said “we are also working on logistics in respect to a chartered flight from Cuba…to bring home the students who are in Cuba.

“We are working on details of this once they are available then we shall provide that to the students and their parents,” he said, adding “this COVID-19 is a costly exercise”.

He said the authorities apart from meeting the costs of placing people in quarantine, also has to provide them with meals daily “and the period of time which people stay in quarantine can go up to 14 days subject to the testing protocols”.