By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Senior Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

A FRIDAY motorcade in South Eleuthera celebrating the life of a beloved resident who died last week resulted in police arresting 13 people on the island yesterday, including 12 women and one man.

Prime Minister Dr Hubert referenced the motorcade during his national address on Sunday, saying he was disappointed in the behaviour of those that engaged in the activity.

Eleuthera resident Danielle Gibson said more than a dozen people used the motorcade to mark the death of 26-year-old Deovantei Basden, who she said was a “loving, generous, humble and friendly young man” that worked as a boat mate on the Princess Cays cruise line. She said those who came to mark his death were surely all under the age of 30.

“It’s the first time that they have experienced a death of a loved one that impacts them psychologically and emotionally and knowing that they don’t have the opportunity to see him this was a way to pay homage to his life,” she said.

“Everyone (Deovantei) came into contact with had nothing but good things to say about his character. He was never one to be in trouble with the law and he just got confirmed as a member of the Methodist Church so he was a churchgoing man and very respectful.”

Ms Gibson said the motorcade happened before 9pm on Friday, claiming all the participants were at home before 8pm. The motorcade started at Wemyss Bight and moved to Greencastle, where Basden was from. “It was less than 15 minutes and most of the persons in the community knew what was happening. It was not a disturbance of the peace,” Ms Gibson said.

Attorney Wayne Munroe, QC, said yesterday that he, Damian Gomez, QC, and another lawyer have agreed to represent the 13 people. Police said the group was arrested for breaking the COVID-19 curfew and that they are expected to be formally charged in Magistrate’s Court.

“I see no breach of the orders and the prime minister needs to stop taking things so personal. This is why you don’t give one man that much power,” Mr Munroe said.

Ms Gibson questioned the decision to arrest the motorcade participants, saying people move throughout Eleuthera during the weekdays and that this was hardly abnormal.

“It was absolutely no different from a normal day or people’s usual activities on Eleuthera despite the quote unquote 24-hour lockdown,” she said. “People are freely moving about the island during the weekday hours and most people are not even aware that being caught out after 5pm without a valid reason is an offense. They are under the impression that they can be out and most don’t understand there is a 24-hour curfew and I think that’s because the orders change so much and people are going by what they first heard.

“I think it seems as though this is a spiteful move, like you disobeyed me, now I’m going to punish you for disobeying me. In the spirit of what these young people are trying to do, it was a good spirit and it’s unfortunate that a lot of persons are not aware of what is the law.”

On Sunday Dr Minnis announced the partial restart of commercial activity on several islands, but not Eleuthera. He did not explain his rationale and even yesterday health officials did not reply to messages and or answer calls seeking comment on why some islands that have not recorded a COVID-19 case have been exempted from the partial reopening exercises.

However on Friday, Dr Merceline Dahl-Regis, coordinator of the government’s COVID-19 response, said some Family Islands have not been compliant with social distancing.

Still residents are frustrated.

“In light of the fact that there are no COVID-19 cases or anyone in quarantine or identified as a suspected case, a lot of Eleutherans and business community people are trying to figure out what the reasons are why they would be locked down still,” Ms Gibson said. “There is a lot of anger right now.”