Coronavirus: boats allowed back in business, horse racing too but no spectators   

Passenger boats are allowed to resume operations according to a decree from the health minister published on Thursday in the government gazette.

The decree also stipulates that horse racing may resume on June 3 but without any spectators.

According to the decree, passenger boats and water sports businesses can now resume operations.

This includes passenger ships, vessels used for amateur fishing and transport of divers, provided that the safety and health guidelines issued by the ministry of shipping are followed.

As regards category B speedboats, up to 10 people are allowed on them, including minors, or up to the maximum number of passengers, according to the vessel’s licence if the number is smaller than 10.

For jet ski category B, rental is allowed for use by up to two people. Employees of the company leasing them, are not allowed to drive the jet skis with a customer as passenger.

The operation of private recreational yachts is also permitted but under conditions.

In particular vessels with class A speedboat licence, must not carry more than 10 passengers or more than the number permitted by the boat’s license if it is smaller, including minors.

The same provisions apply for recreational boats where the law does not require them to have a licence but which meet the basic requirements of the 2017 regulations.

For jet skis, the maximum number of passengers must not exceed the number allowed by the licence.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.