Chief Sec angered by villa parties

Chief Secretary Ancil Dennis said the Tobago House of Assembly can do all in its power to prevent the spread of covid19, but if the public refuses to adhere to the Public Health Ordinance guidelines and continues to host private parties there is nothing the authorities can do to "police stupidity."

Dennis told Newsday he was disappointed by the news of covid19 parties hosted in Tobago resulting in several cases and one death.

Via WhatsApp on Monday he said, "It's unfortunate that the police and government by extension cannot fully legislate and police stupidity."

He called on Tobago police to exercise the full brunt of the law on people caught hosting or attending parties.

"Legislation in place might limit the kind of action the police could take, but I'm saying they ought to pay attention to these parties."

He also encouraged owners of villas to put guests out if they are caught hosting private parties.

He also pleaded with visitors from Trinidad not to host covid19 "super-spreader" events.

Over the weekend, during a Ministry of Health press conference, Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh announced three parties in Tobago on November 22, November 28, and December 8 had spawned 11 new cases. Trinidadians were involved in these events.

Of those cases, one person with pre-existing conditions died of the virus after returning to Trinidad.

The new cases have increased the number of covid19 cases in Tobago to 135. On Monday, four people were discharged and the total active cases fell to 22.

For the last eight months, the island's covid19 death toll stood at two.

Dennis said while police are struggling to crack down and discourage citizens from hosting private "zesser" parties and other events with groups above the limit across the country, an upsurge of the virus could seriously damage Tobago's economy if something isn't done to nip the problem in the bud.

"The latest one I saw was in a villa in Tobago with 100 people stuffed together like sardines.

"This is exactly the kind of situation that will result in us being overwhelmed with a spike in cases...I don't think these people understand how much they put at stake by their irresponsible actions. I don't think they get the point. But we need to ensure they get the point, by ease or by force."

He described such actions as selfish and irresponsible, adding:"I am calling on owners of villas, in particular, to be vigilant. Do not permit persons to host parties at the villas, and once that permission isn't given and persons proceed to host parties, then villa owners and managers must be prepared to put these persons out and at the same time take their damage deposits. I hope they can build these provisions in their contracts so that the relevant actions can be taken.

"We have to discourage and stop this kind of lawlessness. It is exactly what we do not need at this time."

Dennis, who is also Secretary of Tourism, Culture and Transportation, said the division has already developed and sent out guidelines for tourism stakeholders on the island.

"The government have been saying if we can manage our current trajectory, in terms of managing the crisis and controlling the level of infect, that we could possibly have school reopening at the beginning of February and here you have persons, who I am sure to have children, acting in such a way that can jeopardise the possibility of school being reopen."