Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith has issued an apology on behalf of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS), after officers descended on two businesses in Woodbrook on Monday,  shutting down a portion of their operations.

In the first instance, police officers stopped the sale of packaged “deconstructed doubles” as well as other pre-packaged meals at St Christopher’s Service Station, Wrightson Road, Woodbrook.

Police officers also ordered the kitchen at Massy Stores Limited, French Street, Woodbrook, to be closed and that the sale of pre-packaged food items be stopped.

Commissioner Griffith has since clarified that this was done in error.

A statement from the TTPS on Monday said that when Mr. Griffith was made aware of the matter he reminded the relevant officers in the particular Division of the regulations of the Public Health Ordinance which allow for the preparation and sale of such pre-packaged items.

In response to the Top CoP’s apology, the St Christopher’s Service Station announced that it will resume sale of the pre-packaged doubles prepared by the Original Fat Boys Doubles from 6am on Tuesday. 

The business thanked Commissioner Griffith for resolving the matter and also thanked the public for their support.

According to Regulation 10 of the Public Health [2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV)] (Regulations, 2020), “street vending of food and beverages and all retail food services (including restaurants in-house dining, delivery and take-away services), except discount stores, markets, supermarkets, fruit stalls or shops, vegetable stalls or shops, bakeries and “parlours”, for the provision of food or other necessities of life, shall be closed for operation during the period set out.”