Mere hours after Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley announced tougher measures to combat COVID-19, Barbadians rushed to supermarkets to stock up on items ahead of the lockdown, which comes into effect from Wednesday, February 3. Long lines were the order of the early morning hours and Massy Warrens was no exception.
The line at Popular Discounts stretched for some distance at their Spooner’s Hill complex.
A call made by Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley for members of the public to not panic and rush to supermarkets ahead of next week’s national pause fell on somewhat deaf ears. With the second lockdown looming as we roll into February, many Barbadians failed to take heed of the Prime Minister’s appeal to not bombard shopping centres as there was enough food and enough time to get their affairs in order.
Addressing locals and visitors this past Tuesday evening, Prime Minister Mottley revealed plans for the national pause, which would see activity across the island brought to a bare minimum in a bid to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Set to kick in on February 3 and run for two weeks, the pause will see contracted working hours for supermarkets between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday to Friday with them remaining closed on weekends.
When The Barbados Advocate made the rounds at mid-morning, the lines on the outside were somewhat consistent with what they usually are at this time of the month. Visits to Popular Discounts in Spooner’s Hill, PriceSmart, Massy Stores Warrens and Cost-U-Less saw manageable lines with no crowding or need for police intervention. However, reports state that earlier in the morning, there were extended lines which started as early as 6 a.m. and wrapped around the buildings in some instances.
Popular Discounts at Kendal Hill was also reported to have long lines, with video circulating on social media showing a level of unrest as customers tried to gain access to their Spry Street store. Cherish Cosmetique, another popular store in Bridgetown, was reported to have a line that moved along its Swan Street location, onto Prince William Henry Street, James Street and Roebuck Street. (MP)