WITH the new alphabetical shopping system put in place, persons with hyphenated surnames have been querying exactly which part of their name should they use to gain entry.
While it was initially stated that persons should go with their first surname, COVID-19 Czar Richard Carter said he was contacted and corrected that the second part of their surname should be used.
Using the example of a person called Alice Barrow-Clarke, he said it would make sense to use Clarke.
“Simply because you want to restrict the movement of households or persons who are doing this. So if you were Barrow-Clarke and you chose Barrow, it would mean ... B and C don’t go together.
“So it would be a day for you and then Clarke would be a day for your husband, if both of you are in the same household, which doesn’t make sense. It makes more sense to actually use the second part of the double-barrel name, which would likely be consistent between yourself and your husband.”
As it relates to persons having to accompany elderly persons to shop or go to the bank, he suggested that the caregiver do so on their own day. “We absolutely do not want any additional exposure of our elderly. We have been singing that song for so long.”
Carter explained that a system of passes has been created to assist caregivers who want to move around during curfew hours, but lamented that persons tried to cheat the system.
“We have had persons requesting as many as nine passes to look after a single elderly person. We have had persons requesting passes and when we checked, they actually have no elderly person they are looking after. They are trying to get the pass, so they can be on the road to do other things,” he said.
He however urged persons to contact 536-HOPE to query about passes. (JH)
