Update | ODPEM withdraws closure notice for Russell’s T20 Restaurant and Sports Bar

The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) has backtracked on an earlier advisory that Russell’s T20 Restaurant and Sports Bar has been ordered closed for breaching COVID rules.

A short while ago, ODPEM director-general Leslie Harrow said the establishment remains open.

"We had prepared a release. It was not to be sent out but by mistake, it went out," Harrow told The Gleaner.

He said certain things should first have been done, but did not provide details.

In a release issued at 11:55 this morning, ODPEM said it had ordered with immediate effect, the closure of Russell's Old Harbour, St Catherine and Dunrobin Avenue, St Andrew location.

It said the entity had failed to comply with the measures outlined in the Disaster Risk Management Enforcement Measures Order.

Pressed whether OPDEM had recently conducted an inspection at the business, Harrow would not provide a direct answer.

He also would not say whether the information contained in the release was false.

"ODPEM's position is that the press release was sent in error," he insisted.

Last night, Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie declared on Nationwide Radio that a decision has been made to close the two locations with immediate effect as they did not have the required permit to operate.

McKenzie could not be reached this afternoon and neither could the operator of the sports bar. 

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