Rick’s Café ordered closed for 7 days after Mocha Fest
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Desmond McKenzie, says Rick’s Cafe in Negril has been ordered closed for seven days after hosting Mocha Fest, which has led to Jamaicans accusing the authorities of double standard over the staging of entertainment events in breach of COVID-19 regulations
.
“Under the powers available to the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management, Rick’s Cafe is now closed for seven days. The police and the ODPEM monitoring team will ensure that the closure Order is enforced, and the management of Rick’s Cafe has been summoned to a meeting with the ministry and ODPEM for Monday,” McKenzie said.
The operators of the establishment have since expressed regret and apologised for hosting the now controversial event.
While acknowledging the apology, McKenzie said that “It is well known that entertainment activities of this type have been banned by order since March last year, when COVID-19 arrived in the country. The Westmoreland Municipal Corporation did not permit this event to occur, and indeed, no municipal corporation has issued permits for events since last year”.
The seven-day closure is in addition to the Tourism Product Development Company Ltd (TPDCo) withdrawing Rick’s Café’s COVID-19 compliance certification with immediate effect due to the violation, which McKenzie said “…has caused outrage and evoked feeling of biased and differential application of the law.
“I want to make it clear that no preferential treatment is being given by the Government.”
The minister said: ”This Administration does not and will not facilitate any form of inequity or division in the application of the law, and violators have been and will be prosecuted. There are no two Jamaicas. The police are dealing with this incident, which has been captured on video, and I wish to remind everyone that these breaches carry significant fines, which include the maximum $1 million and up to a year in prison on conviction. I want to thank all the people who continue to report the breaches as they occur and encourage them to keep informing us.”
McKenzie said while the Government is resolute about protecting public health, it is not unmindful of the economic impact of the pandemic on all levels of the entertainment sector.
“We do understand the pain from the fallout. We are not indifferent to the sacrifices made by people in the sector and by those who depend on them.”
”I have been meeting with representatives of the sector, and very shortly, the prime minister will be having consultations with them as well. I call for good sense to prevail, as we must navigate this pandemic in a way that ensures our collective survival and recovery,” he added.
Related stories:
Jamaicans outraged at alleged Mocha Fest event in Negril
Rick’s Cafe apologises as Mocha Fest party fuels fury
JTB says no permission was given for Mocha Fest, promises probe and sanctions
