COVID-19 Task Force suspends all GMR&SC activities until further notice

The National COVID-19 Task Force on Sunday evening suspended all activities of the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club (GMR&SC) until further notice, following the staging of a well-attended Round One of the Drag Race Championship earlier in the day at South Dakota Circuit.

The Club was granted conditional approval by the Task Force to host the event, and it was agreed between the bodies that no more than 1,500 persons, inclusive of participants and spectators, would be permitted at the venue.

However, well over that number of persons were in attendance at the event.

According to Director of the Task Force, Colonel Nazrul Hussain, the GMR&SC was in breach of the agreement, noting that the event can be classified as a “super spreader” as “thousands of persons” were at the venue.

Colonel Hussain said what transpired on Sunday was a “flagrant violation” of the COVID-19 measures, and the authorities have decided to immediately suspend all future activities of the Club.

Prior to the getting the final approval for Sunday’s activity, the Task Force had denied the Club’s request on February 4. However, the Club requested a review of the decision on February 18, asking for permission “for a scaled down activity.”

Conditional approval was subsequently granted, with the Club mandated to honour the stipulations outlined above.