Superintendent of Police Davidson Valerie spoke at the Press Briefing of Ministry of Health on Wednesday to inform the nation of the penalties associated with the non adherence to the mandatory wearing of masks.
He said that while face covering was not allowed under the Peace Act, said Act had been amended to allow for the mandatory wearing of mask in public places such as public transportation (buses, taxis), public buildings such as Government offices, supermarkets, bars, markets or other similar establishments and public spaces such as parks, rivers and beaches.
He emphasized that the Police or business owner may request that individuals temporarily remove masks for identification purposes.
Any bus or taxi who refuses to follow the rules is committing an offence and anyone who refuses to comply by wearing a mask in a public place or space is subject to a fine of $75.
Further, written permission must be sought from the Chief of Police for any gathering of over 50 persons. Anyone who disobeys this rule is subject to a fine of $10,000 or one year imprisonment.
He concluded by reiterating that these measures are not meant to be punitive but to prevent the spread of the deadly disease.
Presently, Dominica has a total of 68 confirmed cases and 27 active cases of COVID-19.
