The Ministry of Home Affairs today held training workshop at the Mountain Inn Hotel in Mbabane with different religious stakeholders on increasing religious gathering during the Kingdom of Eswatini COVID-19 partial lockdown .
The workshop came following the issuance of new Covid_19 guidelines for religious gatherings by Hounarable Prime Minister Ambrose Mandvulo Dlamini on Friday the 3rd of July 2020. The Prime Minister announced that places of worship will need to obtain a compliance permit from the Ministry of Home Affairs in order to operate. Assessment will be made for each applicant to determine readiness. “The full observance of two meter (2m) distance between individuals will determine the numbers allowed indoors” said Dlamini.
Some 40 religious leaders, National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) volunteers and officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs took part in the workshop. The workshop focused on the new covid-19 regulations and the application process to obtain authority to increase religious gatherings. The workshop also aimed at enabling Home Affairs officials and NDMA Volunteers on integral elements to consider when assessing religious institutions before authorization. Besides the workshop focused on informing religious leaders on the application forms collection points.
The Application Forms are accessible in the following collection points:
i. Ministry of Home Affairs Offices Headquarters (communications unit and all regional Immigration Departments)
ii. Regional Administration Offices (Regional Secretary)
iii. Faith Based Institutions Mother Bodies
iv. Government and NDMA websites
Applicants to complete Forms and completed Forms to be returned to the Ministry of Home Affairs Offices and Regional Administration Offices.
The places of worship readiness inspection to be conducted by designated officers who will then make recommendations. Once inspection has been concluded, the Forms will be submitted to the Ministry of Home Affairs Headquarters and Regional Offices for Approval. furthermore, Officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs will issue Authority Document stating the maximum number of people allowed per service in a room.
Nonetheless, designated compliance teams will conduct constant monitoring and evaluation of all approved areas and report to the Chiefdom faith based organisations and defaulters to be charged in accordance with the provisions of Covid-19 Regulations.
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