PHILIPSBURG--The Emergency Operations Center (EOC) has established a working group comprising representatives of Emergency Services Function (ESFs) 4, 5, 6 and 10 to provide recommendations on the further de-escalation of the current lockdown measures moving forward.
EOC Chairperson Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs said this will be done based on guidelines that the working group will develop for implementation for entities that can and will open in the future. “The workgroup will ensure that implementation of guidelines can take place effectively and efficiently by these entities. This will require collaboration and coordination across ministries and I look forward to getting recommendations by Wednesday or Thursday next week,” she said during a live virtual press conference on Friday.
When asked how soon she thinks the country can reopen internally, Jacobs said authorities will continue to assess the situation. “Since we are actively dealing with rush at GEBE, it is not advisable to add more to the movement on the island at the moment. I would like to get that under control and GEBE has, in the EOC meeting, established that it will put other measures in place to ensure that this does not reoccur this week.”
She said hardware stores and electronic establishments have already been granted permission to carry out deliveries and restaurants catering to front-liners are also delivering, but noted that restaurants cannot be allowed to be open currently. “We were looking at allowing drive- throughs and deliveries, but that was determined not to be feasible at this time. As we move through and get an overview as to which entities can open with the least possible contact and it is feasible for them to execute, (decisions will be made).”
She said even though hardware stores are allowed to deliver, many are not delivering. She stressed that they should put a delivery system in place so that residents can prepare for the hurricane season. “We are looking in the next two weeks to lift measures and to do it in a systematic manner and that would be announced in the course of the next two weeks,” the PM said.
