CoP probes Grande covid19 protest

CoP Gary Griffith - ANGELO_MARCELLE
CoP Gary Griffith - ANGELO_MARCELLE

SANGRE Grande Regional Corporation chairman Anil Juteram is helping the police with their investigation into a report that 15 people blocked Bridge Road in Sangre Grande, with burning debris on Friday night, to protest the reported removal of covid19 patients from the Couva Hospital to a building in the area.

Contacted on Saturday evening, Juteram declined to comment on the incident but confirmed a statement from Police Commissioner Gary Griffith that he was helping the police with their investigation. "I am in a meeting with the police right now. I hope you can respect that."

In a statement, the police said around 10 pm on Friday, officers responded to a report and on arrival found Bridge Road blocked with burning debris. There were about 15 people present. They were protesting the apparent relocation of patients to a refurbished home for the aged in Sangre Grande. Police removed the protesters while fire officers extinguished the burning debris.

Griffith, on Saturday, reiterated that people would not be allowed to block roads and burn tyres. He said the days of protests by residents, who break the law because they are dissatisfied with problems in their communities, will not be tolerated.

He said anyone seen near protests will be interviewed to help the police determine who were responsible for them. "You have your right to protest, you have your right to assembly, you have your right to march, but we need to understand that your right could never supersede and override the laws of TT or the rights of others."

Videos of the protest will form part of the investigation.

The relocation of patients from Couva to a quarantine facility in Sangre Grande was mentioned during a Health Ministry virtual news conference on Saturday morning. Chief Medical Officer Dr Roshan Parasram assured residents there was no risk of the spread of covid19 to anyone in the area.“We go to lengths to ensure that the site is so laid out that there is a certain distance between the edge of the property, and even the dwellings within, so that there can be no spread.” He added, "All sites would protect the people inside and outside the facility."

Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh said the patients did not bring it on themselves and people have to be compassionate. “These are people, in their time of need, are looking to communities to treat them humanly and with respect. I would like to think that we could rise to the occasion.”He described it as a “step-down” facility for people who were recovering and did not have to be in a hospital.

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"CoP probes Grande covid19 protest"

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