KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Desmond McKenzie, is reminding Jamaicans that they must get the requisite approvals before staging entertainment events.

In a release, Mckenzie shared that “a lot of parties are going to be held, and there is a process. Before COVID, you would go to the Municipal Corporations and the police and put in your applications for your parties; that is still in place.”

The Minister was addressing a community meeting in Gregory Park, St Catherine, on Thursday, March 18, when he urged promoters and party goers to do what is right.

“I want to urge you, you were faithful during COVID, continue to be faithful in doing what is necessary, because if you don’t, the police are going to shut them (parties) down, seize the equipment, and you know the consequences of that,” he said while indicating that all measures including mask-wearing, hand-washing and sanitisation are still necessary to control the spread of the coronavirus.

He said that despite the withdrawal of the Disaster Risk Management Act (DRMA), the virus still poses risks to the well-being of many people, and they must act for their own safety.