• Suspect caught earlier today when he entered a health facility seeking a Covid-19 test
• Can be charged for providing untruthful information and breach of the law

Within hours of the Ministry of Health disclosing that a traveller to Grenada from a medium risk country had skipped mandatory quarantine and lied to immigration officials, that person was caught and is now in police custody.

“He is in the custody of the police. He is presently in an isolation area. He was caught earlier today when he entered a health facility seeking a Covid-19 test,” said an official knowledgeable about the matter.

The young man who gave his Grenada home address as a village in St Patrick, was caught on the western side of the island.

The young man claimed to have travel clearance from London and informed immigration in Grenada that he travelled from Barbados. However, the use of the regional electronic passport system disclosed his true travel itinerary and Grenada’s health officials informed him that he would have to undergo 14 days mandatory quarantine.

He did not object to the quarantine but breached the protocol when he was placed at the location, by leaving without informing health or security personnel. He remained on the run until the Ministry of Health’s information officer informed that public about action.

Under Grenada’s quarantine law, the suspect who is awaiting the result of a PCR test, can be charged for unknowingly providing untruthful information and breach of the law.

Section 7 of the Quarantine Act states that:

(1) A person who—

(a) refuses to answer or knowingly gives an untrue answer to any inquiry made under the authority of this Act, or intentionally withholds any information reasonably required of him or her by any officer or other person acting under the authority of this Act, or knowingly furnishes to any such officer or other person any information which is false;

(b) refuses or wilfully omits to do any act which he or she is required to do by this Act, or refuses or wilfully omits to carry out any lawful order, instruction or condition made, given or imposed by any officer or other person acting under the authority of this Act; or

(c) assaults, resists, wilfully obstructs, or intimidates any officer or other person acting under the authority of this Act, or offers or gives a bribe to any officer or person in connection with his or her powers or duties under this Act, or being such officer or person, demands, solicits or takes a bribe in connection with his or her powers or duties under this Act, or otherwise obstructs the execution of this Act, shall be guilty of an offence.

(2) A person who is guilty of an offence under or of any other offence against this Act shall be liable, on summary conviction, to a fine of $10,000 and to imprisonment for 6 months.