Deyalsingh pleased with banks, strip malls: ‘Smaller stores can do better’

Minister of Health Terrence Deyalsingh said while he was pleased with the response of banks and retail businesses in maintaining precautions to prevent the spread of possible infections, smaller stores and taxi drivers could do better.

Deyalsingh made the remarks during the Ministry of Health's covid19 briefing on Wednesday in which he thanked businesses for the cooperation in adhering to the government's public health protocols.

He said, after attending Monday's media conference he visited various stores and businesses in downtown Port of Spain where he spoke with proprietors.

"I went to Independence Square where I visited the four banks and I could not be more pleased. I even saw a worker with a Republic Bank mask on, so that is good. I want to thank the banks and the corporate entities, both large and small, who have a sense of identity and responsibility.

"I could not be more pleased with the response of the owners of those malls. Almost every store I walked through, the employees had on masks.

"When it comes to the smaller, single-owner operated stores, that is where I think we need to have a serious conversation. I was pleased to see one that had a sign that read "No mask, No service" on Independence Square, but it's not being implemented inside the store. We have to drive the message down to the smaller stores."

Deyalsingh said, during his walkabout on Monday he also noticed various taxi drivers were not wearing masks and he was concerned for their health and safety as they were doing a job that exposed them to physical contact on a daily basis.

He said he asked Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan to organise a meeting between himself, Chief Medical Officer Dr Roshan Parasram and representatives of various taxi driver associations to address their issues over wearing masks.