Second Guyanese Arrested For Opening Business During Lockdown In Barbados

Guyanese shop owner Emma Ann Abrahim and partner Churaman Veerandra who defied their non-essential tag and opened to sell their vegetables were remanded to prison pending sentencing when they appeared in the District “A” Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

Initially the pair of Emma Ann Abrahim and Churaman Veerandr entered a plea of non-guilty.

“Wunna cheating. Everybody else closed and wunna cheating,” Chief Magistrate Ian Weekes told Guyanese Emma Ann Abrahim and Churaman Veerandra.

The two who said that they are also farmers told the court they had produce which they wanted to get off their hands. Abrahim told the court that they applied for a pass as farmers but did not know how or when it would come and what it would cover. She said that they approached the government department and were recommended to make an offer to a popular supermarket chain. However, that did not pan out and she said that they gave some of the produce to the HIV/AIDS Food Bank while throwing away some of the rest.

“People putting their lives at risk. Every time the COVID Unit or police come to you all, they are putting themselves at risk,” said Chief Magistrate Weekes.

She told the court that they opened their mini-mart at the corner of Pinfold and Roebuck Street in St Michael and barricaded the entryway with a tray of provisions. She said that they did not let people into the store and closed once the Unit had made them aware of the law.

Special Investigator for the COVID-19 Monitoring Unit Ronald Cummins told the court that when the Unit came upon the establishment its front door was wide open, the shelves inside were stocked with dry goods and vegetables were on display on a table. He said both of the accused were spoken to after being identified as the owners and warned of intended prosecution.

Chief Magistrate Ian Weekes asked her then if she pleads guilty or not guilty to failing to remain closed during the period of national pause and she changed to guilty, with Abrahim adding, “but we did not know.”

Chief Magistrate Weekes said that in his opinion they opened the mini-mart and were “cheating” by trying to cop sales while all others were closed. He said farmers are one thing but as mini-mart owners, they should have been in the know about the COVID-19 protocols with all the notices, press conferences, and the work being done by the COVID-19 Monitoring Unit.