LIVES OVER EMOTIONS

THE GRANTING of exemptions for nationals outside of TT to return cannot be based on emotions, said the Prime Minister.

“It is only when you get down to the personal level and you see the personal pain and the personal hardship then you begin to think that maybe you should have the decisions made on emotion and let everybody come in. Or let people come from heavily infected areas in large numbers. But then what does that do to the basic policy up front of lives and livelihood.”

He was speaking on Monday at a media briefing held at the Diplomatic Centre, Port of Spain.

He stressed that from the global perspective the Government in dealing with exemptions and treating with our citizens outside via a “faceless, nameless exercise”.

He added: “There are people out there who are in hardship, and we empathise with that, but then the policy cannot be that who gets on television first and cries on television (gets the exemption). If that is how it is then you will not be able to have an effective system where these said people can enter.”

Dr Rowley said most of requests are coming from the US and the closest point is Florida where in the last ten days the state has reported an increase in infection. He stressed that it does not take a “boatload” of people to spread covid19 but just one “super spreader” and by trying to solve a small problem one could create a calamity.

He also spoke about a stranded national who made an appeal via a blog and stressed that if Government financially assisted this national then all others will say it is unfair and claim preferential treatment.

He stressed that the numbers that are brought on are based on how many can be handled and so far thousands have been brought back safely.

“Nobody has been abandoned. Nobody is being punished. And there is no deliberate policy to trample on anybody’s rights. But we are doing it where we are trying to protect everybody’s life, especially those persons within the border of TT.”

He said between 8,000 and 10,000 were on the wrong side of the fence when the borders closed (on March 22). He reported that as at July 11 the National Security Ministry has granted 4,515 exemptions (the majority of which have returned home) and so far people have been repatriated from Guyana, Venezuela, Suriname, Barbados, Cuba, St Maarten, Jamaica as well as cruise ships and university students from Barbados and Jamaica.

He pointed out that these territories were close to TT and had low infection levels.

He stressed that his daughter is in New York and wanted to come home because her sister was having a baby but she was not even encouraged to apply.

“I lived through the trauma of the New York situation with a daughter at ground zero (for covid19) in New York.”

He said that he has very close family members in Texas and California who are afraid to leave their homes because of covid19.

“I understand personally what people are feeling.”

Asked if Government had received any exemption applications from people to return to vote in the general election Rowley replied that he had not seen any such applications.

“He reiterated that the management of the border was not an “election thing”.

Asked about a deadline for the reopening of the borders Rowley said he did not want to speculate.

“On assessment by the Government and the CMO it will remain closed as long as an open border remains a threat. How much longer that is, I don’t know.”

The United National Congress (UNC) in a media release Monday said the party empathises with the stranded families and citizens who are going through this difficult period, “and we urge you to remain strong”.

“Once again Keith Rowley has demonstrated a complete lack of care or compassion for the thousands of citizens stranded outside of their home country in light of the covid19 pandemic.

“The Prime Minister’s heartless and callous leadership, which he has consistently offered to the citizens of our nation over the last five years, was once again on display at Monday’s press conference, in which he berated and embarrassed stranded citizens abroad. It is disgraceful that a man who has served as prime minister in the last five years and who is seeking another mandate would turn his back on desperate citizens in their hour of need.”

The UNC said that Rowley’s “blunt and disrespectful response” clearly showed that he has no moral authority to take this nation forward since he easily dismissed the plight of citizens to return to the place of their birth.

“Our citizens must ask themselves, is the Rowley regime really focused on stopping the spread of covid19, or is this an attempt to curtail democracy by preventing these citizens from being able to exercise their democratic rights in the upcoming election?”

The party added: “While we all accept and understand the need for proper planning and management of the return of citizens from abroad in light of covid19, the Government appears to have no coherent plan in place to do so. There is no excuse for abandoning our citizens, many of whom are elderly and quickly running low on finances.”