Judge chided Jamaicans who continue to breach DRMA

A judge on Tuesday chided Jamaicans for their disregard of measures that have been put in place to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. Senior Parish judge Lori-Ann Cole-Montague, while presiding over matters concerning breaches of the Disaster Risk Management Act (DRMA) in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court, said that a lot of persons are ignoring the non-clinical methods that have been put in place for infection prevention and control.

"I don't know what is wrong with Jamaicans, honestly, I don't know. I walk up and down on Tower Street and Orange Street [downtown Kingston] and the amount of people I see walking up and down without mask. What is wrong?" the judge questioned.

She made the comment after imposing fines on two men who were brought before the court for breaching the DRMA. One of the men, Jamar Miller, pleaded guilty to breaching the curfew order.

It was reported that on Saturday, September 4, about 8:35 p.m., Miller was seen riding a motor cycle along Glasspole Avenue. This was two and a half hours after the start of the 6 p.m. curfew began.

He was ordered to pay a fine of $40,000 or serve six months' imprisonment.

Another man, Linval Johnson, pleaded guilty to not wearing a mask and was fined $15,000 or 30 days' imprisonment.

He explained to judge Cole-Montague that he took off his mask because he was eating, as well as because he is asthmatic. However, police reports indicate that Johnson was seen talking to other persons without a mask.