PEP: PM politicking over covid19

PHILLIP Edward Alexander, head of the Progressive Empowerment Party (PEP), accused the Prime Minister of politicking in his special post-Cabinet briefing on covid19 last Wednesday.

“This entire press conference came across like a political stunt, and the Government should be ashamed for attempting to capitalise on tragedy for political gain.”

Alexander said in contrast to Dr Rowley’s speech, TT needs real policies to isolate those most at risk from covid19 and to urgently import more ventilators to curb preventable deaths.

He said instead of elucidation and direction, the PM had given a "meandering treatise of ad hoc issues" unhelpful to those on the front line of the crisis.

He claimed masks were imported too late in the pandemic.

Alexander said Rowley’s proposals gave more money for food importers, but did nothing for farmers who could make TT food independent.

On the loan payment deferral for businesses, he said the banks had no choice if they want clients to survive.

“It's not like it's real money to them. The loans they are asked to defer is the people's own money they charge them a fee for the pleasure of holding for them, and then lending it back to them at interest. Foregoing a month or two of free money wont break them.”

Alexander was unimpressed with the delay in the SEA Exam, which he said was a child-abusing exam which serves no-one and should be scrapped. He said a PEP regime would create ten=year schools which lets all pupils be the best they can, such as by pursuing non-scholastic options like trades, arts and sports.

He said now was the time to transition the CXC Exams to online, saving huge sums.

While social support is laudable, he alleged it comes with political strings attached and corruption, at great cost to taxpayers.

“All this may turn out to be is more of the same food card/URP in exchange for votes.”

On the PM’s call for businesses to preserve jobs, Alexander said the State should pay the rents/mortgages and utility costs of small businesses during the crisis.

“Together with the banks deferring loan payments, the business community could then simply unplug and reconnect after the crisis is over. Government could also pay a stipend to all workers who businesses cannot hold in employ during the time of zero income.”

Alexander reckoned the dropping of the repo rates will have to be repeated in the future to restart the economy after the crisis has passed.

He scoffed that first responder rotation (to avoid burnout) was simply a lesson learnt from the SARS and H1N1 past outbreaks and was now standard protocol globally.

On funding to upgrade Tobago hotels during this down time, Alexander asked what are the long term plans for Tobago.

“I am not sure why this handout was coupled with the coronavirus response other than cheap politicking and a Hail Mary hope of pulling Tobago back from Watson Duke."