Expats who flouted Singapore’s circuit breaker to gather for drinks face US$7,000 fine or jail
- The seven foreigners gathered outside bars in Robertson Quay and bought takeaway alcohol during coronavirus safe distancing restrictions last month
- They were charged under temporary Covid-19 regulations and had to surrender their passports as part of their bail conditions
Photographs of crowds outside food and beverage outlets in the area went viral two weeks ago and sparked public furore.
Following that, the Singapore Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) issued directions to about 10 Robertson Quay restaurants to immediately stop selling takeaway alcohol.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Timotheus Koh told the court that the accused are in two separate groups. All of them face one charge under the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) Regulations 2020.
They are: Neil Gordon Buchan, 30, UK citizen; Perry Scott Blair, 37, UK citizen; Bao Nguyen Brown, 40, US citizen; Brown Jeffrey George, 52, US citizen; Michael Czerny, 45, Austrian citizen; James Titus Beatt, 33, UK citizen; and Poynter Joseph William, 35, UK citizen.
According to court documents, Blair, Poynter, Beatt and Buchan met at the Rosso Vino restaurant on May 16 for about 20 minutes to chat and have drinks.
Nguyen Brown and Jeffrey Brown, who are married, are accused of meeting Czerny on the same evening in the vicinity of TAP @ Robertson Quay to chat and have drinks as well.
The three are represented by Mirza Namazie, who said that Nguyen Brown has been in Singapore for 14 years on an Employment Pass, which allows foreign professionals, managers and executives to work in the country. Czerny is a Singapore permanent resident and has two children in the country. Buchan and Beatt are defended by Shashi Nathan, while Christopher Bridges is representing Poynter and Blair.
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Court documents did not state how they knew one another.
All seven will return to court on June 16 and were offered bail of S$3,000 (US$2,100). As part of bail conditions, they have to surrender their travel documents – including passports – and not commit further offences.
If convicted, they could be fined up to S$10,000 (US$7,100), jailed up to six months or both.
After photos of the Robertson Quay gatherings went viral, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli wrote on Facebook that most operators and individuals in the area have been complying with safe distancing measures.
A restaurant manager said that even though they had stacked and locked up all the tables and chairs in the cafe’s alfresco area, some patrons unstacked the chairs and sat on them. Others said they had to repeatedly tell customers to leave.
The URA said that by selling takeaway alcohol, the 10 establishments that were issued directions had contributed to more people gathering around these premises.
In a statement on Monday, the Ministry of Manpower said that foreigners working in Singapore “must abide by our laws”. Those convicted, regardless of the type of work pass they hold, risk having them revoked and banned from working in the city state.
In the past three years, more than 100 Employment Pass holders have had them revoked, said the MOM.
“[Circuit breaker] measures are enforced strictly regardless of nationality. Singaporeans and foreigners alike have been penalised for flouting the rules. These have been widely publicised. Work pass holders are reminded to take these rules seriously, for their own protection and the safety of the community at large,” the MOM said.
