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Opposition Spokesperson on health matters, Daniel Cummings is questioning the government’s decision to stop publishing information on the number of persons in coronavirus-related quarantine.

“Why is it that they refuse to tell us now how many persons in quarantine? What are they ashamed of or afraid of?” Cummings told a virtual rally broadcast on radio and social media by his New Democratic Party (NDP).

Cummings, who is MP for West Kingstown, further said:

“Every other country not only tells us, they open themselves to a press conference on daily basis to answer questions about how you’re handling this thing. They said, ”you know what? We ain’t telling you nothing more.”

On July 22, Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Simone Keizer-Beache announced that her ministry, would, as of the following day, stop publishing data on the number of persons in quarantine.

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Previously, that information, and other statistics about the virus in St. Vincent and the Grenadines was published daily, around 6 p.m.

 “… we have taken a decision that, as of tomorrow, we will no longer be listing the numbers in quarantine. And that is because we have a lot of persons, it’s very fluid, we have a lot of flights coming in and we have a lot of persons on yachts and the quarantine period which might be determined at the beginning of your visit can change dependent on time and especially with the flights,” she said on Round Table Talk, broadcast live on VC3’s Facebook page.

She said that another reason for the change is because quarantine “is dependent on contacts.

“So I just wanted to state that we’re not going to be continuing to list the numbers in quarantine, because the quarantine can be from 24 hours to 14 days,” Keizer-Beache said.

“And keeping that on track, even though we are monitoring the persons, it is becoming extremely inaccurate to be putting a figure today which continues into tomorrow, because it’s changing constantly.

“In terms of actually letting it be an accurate reflection over a 24-hour period, it’s not what we would want. So we will be able to say — but in terms of it staying there, being published for 24 hours, the accuracy is something we are concerned about, because it changes within the day a number of times,” Keizer-Beache said.

9 replies on “Decision to keep quarantine stats secret comes under fire”

  1. They aren’t telling us nothing more dread for the very reason that is because that the way of all dictatorships. Just look at China where this Virus started in the first place. And that is why so many countries are in the mess that they are in! China hid the facts! “Hong Kong scientist claiming China ‘covered up’ coronavirus data” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUbrE1v4kuQ so said the good scientist.

    Big Brother always control the information, Ditto Cuba. Ditto Venezuela. Ditto Iran and any other dictatorship that one can just think of. It is just the way of all grubby dictatorships! Control the information reaching the people and you control them. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7voTUuVT5i4

  2. Nathan Jolly Green says:

    No Mr Cummings it is being hidden because there is a financial link in the whole scheme. Someone is havein a draw from the hotels. That is why they want to use hotels, not home, and not the new facility they built.

  3. Mrs Beach l am disappointed with your statement. You seem some what frustrated about the right numbers.All of us is frustrated in one way or the other.But we should never let our self believe that we are bigger than our responsibility to the public when we are in that position.

  4. So the country is losing control of the situation. That is the reason numbers are no longer given. Also Gonsalves is becoming more embarrassed by his bad decisions to open prematurely. (I assume narcissistic people can be embarrassed)
    I went into Kingstown yesterday, Thursday and it is becoming, for me, more fearful to go into Kingstown although I wear a mask. There were large numbers of people spilling unto the sidewalks from the post office, banks etc. You have to be able to do the sidewalk dance to go from one place to the other. The numbers of people without masks have multiplied greatly, but those WITH masks have shrunken considerably.

    I hear of more people complaining of Covid-like symptoms, headaches, inability to sleep but we cannot depend on “typical Covid symptoms as they constantly change. I hope we do not get to a critical point of several people needing to be hospitalized. Is the hospital prepared to accept Covid-19 patients? I feel we have one big benefit in SVG and that is living in the tropics where our Vitamin D levels are high. Let us not squander that by being complacent. I just read that in Kenya, a country directly on the Equator decided the safest thing to do is to cancel ALL schools and large gatherings for one (1) year. SVG should have been taking the same attitude and respect the lives of citizens.

  5. What is the secret about covid in svg? Is this why people think that what they are hearing is not the truth?? Only time.

  6. Note that the NDP administration has refused for over 15 years in power to bring before the parliament and pass the Freedom of Information act. I guess it is still with the special committee for sometime now. What can we expect of the SMO. She is protected as well as all others who will do the PM’s bidding.

  7. Jomo at least may cause many to research the real history of the topics he mentions. Finding the truth is the difficult part, which is true about all aspects of history. I have noticed that Jomo, like many, have thier own “tainted” view of history. At the same time, the history books are also filled with whatever bias the author(s) or publishers demand.
    We have all heard that: “The winners write history” There are other snipits to consider.
    Jomo mentions Napoleon. Wasn’t it Napoleon that said:
    “History is nothing more than lies agreed upon.”? This is also true! At the moment they are trying to “rewrite” history in the USA. Some of what they are attempting is somewhat justified but some of it is sad and appalling. Thomas Jefferson is being demonized although he attempted many times to abolish slavery, (He wanted the terrible practice abolished by the year 1800) but was beaten-down and threatened by very powerful men. His plantation was unprofitable and heavily in debt because he did not use a whip or other practices. He rebuilt the slave quarters WITH RUNNING WATER when he inherited Monticello. Many plantation owners did not even have running water. My point is: Yes, Jefferson owned slaves, but there is other information that is not told about that.In fact: Jefferson wrote the abolishment of slavery into the Declaration of Independence in 1776 but IT WAS EDITED OUT! Jomo will never tell you this information.

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