COVID-19 continues to disrupt municipalities, First Nations programs and business of government

Danny Breen says it's been difficult to be the mayor of St. John's in 2020.

"Usually mayors open things. I've closed more things than I've opened," said Breen on Thursday afternoon to update residents on the latest COVID-19 developments in the city.

During Snowmageddon in January he shut downthe whole city by ordering a state of emergency that lasted eight days.

On Thursday,Breen closed city hall to the public to try to help stop the spread of coronavirus.

City services will stillbe available, he said.

"Any type of building permit of anything else just call 311 and they can make the necessary arrangements," Breen said.

Residents can't pay city taxes in person, he said, but they can still pay at a bank or by mail.

There is one sliver of good news; city parking permits that expire at the end of March have been automatically been renewed to the end of April.

Breen also said the city is reviewing whether a reprieve on citytaxes is warranted. Heexpects to have more to say on that either Friday or Monday.

In the Miawpukek First Nation, on Newfoundland's south coast, most band programming has been suspended to minimize the COVID-19 risk.

Chief Mi'selJoe says people are being asked to stay away from First Nation offices unless absolutely necessary, and is asking people to follow social distancing guidelines.

"Right now I'm hoping that we have clear minds and good thinking, that if you go and visit your neighbours, you take and make some awful risks, especially if you're going into visit grandmothers and grandfathers and pregnant women and things like that," Joe said.

"That's a no-no and you should not be doing that."

As for provincial politics, the legislature will not reopen as planned Monday as the global virus also throwsoff operations within the House of Assembly.

Instead, MHAs will meet March 26 to deal with the "business of urgent public importance in this unprecedented situation" said the provincial government in a media release.

There will be only 10 MHAs there, including the Speaker, to meet the House's minimum quorum requirements.They will be spaced out as per social distancing guidelines.

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