The general secretary of the Consumers’ Association is very upset about this new interpretation of the conditions for demonstrations. The reduced number of vehicles to 50, as ordered on April 28, breaks the whole organization of this car rally as detailed at the press conference on Thursday.
The press conference on Friday was precisely to denounce the lack of sense of the Police in their orders. Jayen Chellum explains that “there was no mention of this imposition of 50 vehicles. This condition, which falls under Section 4, had already been struck out by the Judge and before the Police. The Police had given us their approval on 23 April before going back on their decision during the afternoon on 28 April by using once again the Consolidated Covid-19 Regulations 2021 (GN 245 of 2021) as amended by GN 227 of 2021, where it is stipulated that there was a restriction of 50 persons, especially with the reasons of overflow after the incidents of last week”. Jayen Chellum said that ACIM has never done this and does not condone such actions. The Association has expected to have a participation of 200 vehicles, school vans, 50 motorcyclists, the GSEA and Percy Yip Tong.
“The agreement under the Public Gathering Act had already gone to Court. We are not illegal. When we disagree, we go to Court. We are not going to back down from these incomprehensible conditions imposed by the Police, and Me. Bukhory and Me. Dookhy will accompany us to Court. We will ask the Judge if he agrees with this new interpretation of the Regulations. We have to mobilize in a legal way. We will return to the charge very quickly,” he announced.
To date, ACIM prefers to postpone the rally. Jayen Chellum asked the population to be ready to demonstrate their discontent with the high cost of living.
