The illegal party, ‘Shut Yuh Mouth Wid Yuh Likkle Bit of Money’, did not take place as advertised after Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie produced a flyer in Parliament on Tuesday and advised authorities of the intended breach.
The event, which was scheduled to be held at Club Utopia, located on Retreat Drive in Bull Bay, St Andrew, was one of several such parties cited by McKenzie as clearly disregarding the Disaster Risk Management Act.
When The Gleaner visited Bull Bay on Wednesday, the location was closed. However, neither the club owner, who our news team spoke to by phone, nor the promoter of the event wanted to speak on the matter.
The owner cited business interests and wanted to just get past the fiasco.
The promoter, who was also sought, declined to comment.
Some residents in the area told The Gleaner that they would have given support had it taken place as was previously planned and without the public scrutiny.
“A nuff party keep ‘bout ya same way; people just nuh print nothing, word of mouth,” a resident said.
Speaking in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, McKenzie outlined several cases in which there has been outright disregard for established COVID-19 protocols and said party promoters would be made to pay if found liable, and that these illegal activities will be stopped by the police.
He said that in keeping with the Disaster Risk Management Act, the municipal corporations have not issued any permits for any party or event, anywhere in Jamaica, for the last five months, refuting the claim on the Bull Bay event’s flyer that it was “fully endorsed” by the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation.