Minority calls for covid19 meeting with new THA executive

THA Minority Leader Kelvon Morris has written to Chief Secretary Farley Augustine requesting a meeting to discuss the assembly’s response to the rising rates of covid19 infections and deaths.

In a letter on Tuesday, Morris called for collaboration among the Executive Council, the Minority Leader and leading healthcare professionals to chart a comprehensive response to our current health challenges.

The letter proposes that relevant technical officers in the assembly, as well as external health professionals should be invited so that a well-informed plan of action can be formulated.

It said the daily additions to the number of infections, coupled with reports of people contravening the public health guidelines, were serious causes for concern.

Last Sunday, Tobago recorded six additional covid19 deaths.

Morris described the situation as “very alarming and must be worrying to all of us as Tobagonians.”

He added that he was also concerned that even though the new PDP administration made managing covid19 part of its "Fix it" mandate, "a month later, the current Secretary of Health, Wellness and Social Protection does not seem to have a clear plan, strategy or clue to get our covid19 infection and death rates under control.”

He also accused the PDP of having an inconsistent stance on vaccination.

He claimed while the central Government has been implementing a myriad of strategies, including putting processes in place for public-sector employees to be vaccinated, allowing the public service to operate as a quasi-safe zone, the PDP administration preferred to sit on the fence and toe the line while the people of Tobago continued to suffer.

“It is time that the PDP shows leadership in the management of covid19 and outlines a clear plan on how they intend to slow the rate of infections and deaths. Elections are done, the showmanship is over, and it is time to govern.”

Covid19, he said does not care who is in government and would not go on pause while the new administration tries to get its act together.

“The lives and livelihood of thousands of Tobagonians depend on how we treat with our covid19 response and therefore we need action now,” he urged.