Bermuda’s traditional Easter celebrations will be quiet this year as annual events and public gatherings are cancelled amid Covid-19 protection measures. 

Dale Butler, a former Progressive Labour Party minister, said he had cancelled his fishcake competition — an annual event for 25 years.

He added: “I was going to do a Facebook event where you could just show off a picture and the judges would decide, but I don’t think I’ll do that because a lot of people are under stress.

“I think that the island needs a break as people try and get their own lives together.”

Mr Butler, who usually held the competition at the Leopards Club on Brunswick Street in Hamilton, said he was disappointed by the cancellation.

He added that the island would have to adjust to the dramatic changes to day-to-day life.

Mr Butler explained: “I can’t take flowers to my family’s graves on Easter Sunday like I do every year — I’ll have to take them after the 14-day lockdown.

We could moan and groan about it, or we could just change our event calendars.”

Mr Butler was speaking after David Burt, the Premier, announced a 24-hour “shelter in place” lockdown that will run until April 18.

Eugene O’Connor, 85, who would make and sell up to 400 kites for Easter in normal times, said that he had told customers that he would not offer his services this year.

He explained: “The money’s dead and I’m thinking about other people’s health.

“If I make the kites that means that I’m encouraging everybody to go out there and fly kites.

“I don’t want to do that — I’m instead encouraging everybody to stay safe and stay well.”

Mr O’Connor, known as a “Kite Master,” added: “I’m sort of disappointed for the children, mainly. The children that do like kites look forward to these sorts of things, so they’re the ones that are suffering really.”

Mr O’Connor said that because kite flying was still legal from home and in small groups, people would still find a way to fly them.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Martin Weekes said last Friday that the police expected a flurry of kite flying over the Easter holiday.

He added that there had been an increase in complaints about loud “hummers” attached to kites and warned flyers to show consideration for neighbours.

Mr Weekes said: “Let’s not make things even more difficult for each other during this already testing time.”

Kamilah Cannonier, the owner of Sweet Saak Bakery in St George’s, has had to cancel orders for hot cross buns placed as far back as the start of March.

She explained that deliveries were to be made through the Sargasso Sea delivery service, but she instead refunded everyone who had ordered in case delivery services were shut down.

Ms Cannonier said that, to keep the tradition alive, she planned to organise and live stream an online class to show people how to make hot cross buns alongside her.

She added: “I hosted one a little while ago that went really well, so I’m intending to do it again.

“Around that same time I thought that I was still going to be able to sell hot cross buns, but now that I can’t, I’m going to instead make this class a little more in depth so that people can really hone their skills.”