New COVID-19 penalty now in law

Cabinet has approved the publication today on Friday, 27 November 2020 of three updated regulations aimed at facilitating the prevention of COVID-19, that increase the penalty for offences to reflect recently passed legislation.

The newly published regulations include:

1. Control of COVID-19 (No. 3) Regulations, 2020;

2. Prevention, Control and Suppression of COVID-19 (Partial Lifting of Restrictions) (No. 6) Regulations, 2020; and

3. Prevention, Control and Suppression of COVID-19 (Partial Lifting of Restrictions) (Travel and Boating) (No. 6) Regulations, 2020.

The only substantive change to the regulations is to increase the penalty for offences to reflect the new maximum penalty under the recently passed Public Health (Amendment) Law, 2020

While under previous COVID-19 regulations all penalties attracted fines of $1,000 and imprisonment for six months, the amended law allows fines of up to $10,000 and imprisonment for two years.

With this change now reflected in regulations, the Courts will be able to impose the maximum penalty allowed by law when sentencing offenders.

The regulations took effect on Friday, 27 November 2020 and expire 31 January 2021.