Antigua and Barbuda will not face an islandwide lockdown during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, organisers say, with security restrictions confined to specific locations and times.

Everton Barnes, co-lead of the CHOGM Media and Public Affairs Committee, rejected comparisons with COVID-era restrictions while speaking on Saturday’s Browne and Browne Show.

“We are not locking down Antigua. Let me say that again. We are not locking down Antigua,” Barnes said.

He said supermarkets would remain open and areas outside the security perimeters would remain accessible. Restrictions would depend on where events were taking place on a particular day.

Barnes said parts of St. John’s would be affected during the opening ceremony at the Performing Arts Centre, but businesses west of Corn Alley, including those along Market Street and Thames Street, would continue operating.

Police Superintendent Rodney Ellis, head of the Traffic Department, said closures around the opening ceremony venue could last approximately six to seven hours, allowing security personnel to prepare for the arrival of leaders and other dignitaries.

Officials indicated that barriers in that area were expected to be removed around 1:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. after proceedings conclude.

Ellis said emergency vehicles would retain access to restricted areas and regular policing would continue across the country, supported by regional and international personnel.

Barnes urged business owners and residents to attend a planned town hall, where security officials and other CHOGM planning teams would answer questions about access and the anticipated disruptions.

This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: No islandwide lockdown for CHOGM, organisers say.