Minister Issues Closure Notice To Blu Bar & Grill

July 11, 2020

“I issued a closure notice to Blu Bar and Grill which goes into effect today [July 11] and expires after 14 days,” Minister of Health Kim Wilson said.

The party at Blu has been the topic of widespread discussion, and resulted in both Wayne Caines and Zane DeSilva resigning from the Cabinet after videos circulated showing them among the people at the party not adhering to the Covid-19 regulations.

Minister Wilson said, “This week I issued a closure notice to Blu Bar and Grill which goes into effect today [July 11] and expires after 14 days.

“This followed a detailed investigation by the Ministry of Health into the large gathering event held at the restaurant last weekend; that investigation determined that the venue was in breach of Regulation 7[1] Public Health [COVID-19 Emergency Powers] Regulations 2020.

“That evening’s events were extremely regrettable for all involved and I take no pleasure in having to issue any business with a temporary closure notice during these challenging economic times.

“However, it is crucial that lessons are learned from this and that we continue to protect ourselves and our community from the threat of COVID-19, particularly now that our borders are open and we have active COVID-19 cases on island.”

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Comments (36)

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  1. Bermudian says:

    OMG, come on!!! A closure for 14 days? A bit much don’t you think.

    • B4Premier says:

      Will take that long just to clean the tables after those women had their crusty feet up there! There is no tablecloth in the world that keeps that level of grossness away. Makes me never want to step foot – excuse the pun – in a MEF operated restaurant again )-:

      • Now Ya Nice says:

        I agree it was gross but these gross and selfish acts were the result of patrons and government officials not staff. Those were guests on tables on the tables not staff! A 14 Day closure for what the patrons did? I agree that there should have been a punishment and a message needed to be sent. However, when compared to the repetitive serious crimes that have taken place at several bars over the last two years – and those bars have had a slap on the wrist 24 hour punishment? We should also note that at the time of the party we had zero known cases. Does the punishment fit the crime?

        • Flash says:

          Disagree now ya nice – the restaurant should have abided by the regulations. Their ignorance is exactly what causes second waves. I blame the establishment more than the patrons. Had the restaurant enforced the rules, the patrons would have abided. Shame on mef – risking so much just for extra cash. MEF no more for me and family.

        • Flash says:

          One more thing – well done minister

        • Deborah says:

          Punishment fits the crime!!! Should have been shut down for a month! And surely the head staff member should have told the GO GO dancers get their crusty feet off the damn tables and put them on the floor where they belong! But I bet nothing was said to them about that! So there u go; Blu deal with problem of closure and pay staff! And dont expect the Government to!

          • Bermudian says:

            As far as the restaurant was probably concerned if Zane and Caines weren’t worried then it must be okay.

        • Paradise says:

          What about the idiot who spit on the police officer ? Remember he said I have corona virus after he spit ? You gotta love how inconsistent the laws are on this island .

    • Real Deal says:

      closure for 14 days is effective the same quarantine you get when you are coming in to the island. so logically the place is under quarantine to monitor if the virus show itself in the staff that where present during the breach . so logically it is not a bit much

  2. John E. Thorne says:

    Not when people’s lives are at stake!

  3. Now Ya Nice says:

    The bar has been set, and set high! A little drastic I think, but that’s my opinion. It Will be interesting to see the consistency.

    People we are armed with cameras , start using them.

  4. saud says:

    LOL, you people are hilarious.

  5. Vortex says:

    And a ‘sports club’ has yet another shooting in its bar, and it is closed for 24 hours.

    Has the minister considered this might be double standards? Or utterly insane?

  6. Hdrf says:

    Ministers party and restaurants pays for their troubles. Crazy

    • Ignorant says:

      A private event and the restaurant gets closed? What about the organizers and what about the Ministers appearing before a judge to be fined?

  7. Red rose says:

    And the party goers?

    • fine them says:

      if the restaurant gets booked EVERYONE EKLSE involved patrons organizers and anyone else needs to be FULLY QUARENTINED and fined

  8. BaileysBay says:

    “Ministers party and restaurants pays for their troubles”
    You have a point Hdrf, but actually it’s worse.
    Blu will likely lay off their employees who will then be forced to apply for unemployment assistance from government during the closure…so the taxpayer will also ultimately pay. That’s on top of what the taxpayer already pays for government Ministers, whether working or partying

  9. Um Um Like says:

    Why hasn’t the event organizer been punished?

    Where are the fines that government threatened us with? Do they no longer apply?

    • Precedent says:

      If they don’t fine the organizer and ministers then they can’t prosecute us the normal people!

    • me 2 says:

      they don’t want all the low down dirt to come out, its obvious, a very closed inquiry

  10. Boots says:

    Organizer? Hardly —-most likely her first and only event. Clearly utterly clueless in regards to protocol and procedures

  11. Baygrapes says:

    We may not be privy to all the facts. Maybe this has happened before… In the very same location?!

  12. Rada Gast says:

    Scapegoating.

  13. Ringmaster says:

    The closure was at the direction of the Ministry of Health and only applied to the restaurant not complying with the rules. The Police Commissioner has stated elsewhere that a file will be passed to the DPP which presumably will concern anything not relating to the Ministry of Health directive such as the MPs and application process. That will take more time than a direction to close.

  14. becareful of the truth says:

    There was a petition circulating to re-instate the two Ministers. That petition should have been to proscecute the organisers. Ooops that be the former Minister of Tourism and his daughter.
    Rules are made and should be adhered too.
    We rally most times for the wrong reasons, yes Blu has to suffer some blame for allowing the table dancing as they could have pulled the plug on electricity.
    (Blu)I make money and your paying but Blu didnt expect it to get this far.
    Tough Cookie

  15. La Verdad says:

    Should have closed them for a month. They allowed the outrageous behavior by their patrons. Should have stopped it right away saying: not in my establishment and not on my watch. Shame on them.

  16. Pangaea says:

    This look like all future penalties will be a double dip punishment.

    Sort of like hicking a guy when he is down.

    If so,

    You must reinstate the two ministers

    There was not even a court date set.

    Every one is entitled to due process.

    Put this another way i drive my vehicle a tiney over the speed limit the misister come along and locks me up for 7 years

    None of us are safe !

    Have we lost all sence of morality here.

  17. This seems like a direct retaliation of Government towards the Blu for the embarrasment that those two Ministers created.

  18. Birthday boy says:

    The two MPs should be made to resign from the house. So now employees are out of work for two weeks. Sorry Health Minister, wrong decision, I normally have a lot of time for you.

  19. Hmmmm says:

    BLU used to be our FAVOURITE restaurant. The place to enjoy a delightful meal and watch the sunset. We had noticed changes in the menu, food options and quality of service. Dancing on the tables is the icing on the cake. To me that was clearly a health violation. Very inconsiderate and extremely unsanitary!

    • CHRIS says:

      who hasn’t danced on a table?!

    • Disgusting says:

      Absolutely disgusting with their toe jams and dirt from floors and Sweat from their shoes on tables where my family is expected to eat? Not going to happen! anyone who patronizes Blu after the lock out should care more about the filth and boycott the restaurant!

      MEF has lost its way! This sort of behavior would never have happened if Emilio was there!

  20. saud says:

    “Very inconsiderate and extremely unsanitary!”

    Yet, you voted for and support them. Strange indeed.

  21. Albie says:

    Ok, I get that the Minister feels compelled to close the Blu restaurant because they did not follow the government required guidelines.

    Why does the Bermuda Government not also compel the BIU to file/disclose their financials for well over 10 years as also required by our laws? One is easy, the other may be toxic but both are required in a state ruled by law.

    Not holding my breath.