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Opposition Leader Godwin Friday. (iWN file photo)
Opposition Leader Godwin Friday. (iWN file photo)
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The opposition New Democratic Party (NDP), on Thursday, said that the Unity Labour Party (ULP) administration is not taking “a proactive approach in the management of COVID- 19 and appears to have no effective plan to comprehensively address this crisis”.

The party said it was extremely concerned about the increase in the number of COVID- 19 cases, especially as they have resulted from local transmission.

“The recent developments have heightened public concern about the situation and has diminished public confidence in the way the government is seeking to manage the COVID-19 pandemic,” the party said in a press statement.

The NDP’s comments came at a time when there were 28 confirmed cases of local transmission of COVID-19 since Dec. 28, 2020.

However, by the end of that day, an additional 52 cases of local transmission was added to that number, bringing the total to 80. 

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Further, one day earlier, the Ministry of Health announced that Minister of Health, Jimmy Prince, Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Simone Keizer-Beache and other senior officials of the Ministry of Health have entered quarantine as a precautionary measure after coming into contact with a person who tested positive for the coronavirus. 

And, on Thursday, Deputy Commissioner of Police Frankie Joseph tested positive for the coronavirus, resulting in the quarantining also of Commissioner of Police Colin John and other senior officers.

Earlier this week, five other police officers tested positive for the coronavirus.

The NDP said:

“The government has adopted a cavalier approach, and continues to send mixed messages to Vincentians, forcing businesses and other institutions to administer their own plans to protect their customers and employees.”

The NDP may have been referring, for example, to a Jan. 1, press release by the National Emergency Management Organisation , saying that all public gathering that includes amplified music was banned.

The release specifically said that the ban applied to church services.

However, persons who contacted health officials directly were told that churches were exempt from the ban and many churches conducted services without observing the physical distancing and face mask protocols.

The NDP said that the present spike of infections has already affected the country’s education system by delaying the reopening of schools and other educational institutions by at least two weeks.

“It also continues to negatively affect the economy with no further support from the government, resulting in business closures and higher unemployment,” the NDP said.

“The NDP again calls on the government to provide the public with timely and adequate information about the state of the pandemic in SVG and to implement measures that will prevent further local transmission of the virus. We urge that schools remain closed until the situation of local spread is brought under control.”

The party said that now that many countries have started COVID-19 vaccination, the government must determine how it will treat vaccinated persons entering SVG and make its plan known to the public, especially the hospitality industry.

“We also call on the government to outline its plan, if it has any, for the use of the COVID-19 vaccine in SVG.

“Despite all we have learned about the management of the coronavirus over time, it is clear that the situation regarding the coronavirus in SVG is worse today than it has ever been.  It is, therefore, premature and grossly misleading for the Prime Minister or any other member of the Government to speak in self-congratulatory terms about the management of the pandemic.”

In the Dec. 28 meeting of Parliament, Minister of Finance Camillo Gonsalves praised his government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, saying the country had done ‘fabulously well” on both the health and economic fronts.

“What had it done in St. Vincent and the Grenadines relative to the world?” the minister said, adding that there were, at the time, 14 independent countries in the world that were yet to experience a death from COVID and SVG is one those 14 countries.

“And of those 14 countries, St. Vincent and the Grenadines is sixth in the entire world in terms of economic contraction. So we have done fabulously well to date on the health front and we have done fabulously well to date on the economic front,” Gonsalves said. 

Meanwhile, in the statement on Thursday, President of the NDP and Leader of the Opposition, Godwin Friday reiterated his call for everyone to act responsibly.

“We must all remain on high alert and do all that we can to prevent further spread of the virus. Remain calm, wear face masks, maintain social distance when interacting with the public, avoid large crowds where possible, and wash hands regularly as recommended by the World Health Organization. Be safe,” Friday said.

16 replies on “Gov’t seems to have no effective plan to address COVID crisis — NDP”

  1. Make no mistake about it Hon Dr. Friday, the Ralph Gonsalves Administration of St. Vincent and the Grenadines has handled the Covid-19 Pandemic the best among all the countries is the world. I don’t agree with all the Prime Minister does but he is a very smart an intelligent man. He has manage a pandemic without imposing on individual rights and freedoms. He has kept the country open when everywhere else has close their borders. Stop criticize and take a moment to celebrate your peoples many skills, ability and talents in managing this pandemic.

  2. Are the tests being used reliable? Sure they are not false positives? Has anyone been sick or hospitalized? Im not minimizing covid but something seams fishy…..

  3. Kittana Albert says:

    Does the rest of the world has any plans to address the COVID -19 The whole world needs healing but until we truly seek the face of God and repent These pestilence will come upon us this is not the time to place blame but to come together and pray and seek God .

  4. I wonder what the NDP expects the government to do? Maybe lock everyone inside? Although it is the job of the opposition to oppose, at this time that is questionable. Friday has usually been supportive when the Government was doing well, and outspoken when they were not. THAT HONESTY IS WHAT I LIKED ABOUT HIM. In most ways, concerning the virus the government in SVG is doing a very good job, but it is inevitable that the number of cases will increase as the virus CONTINUES TO WEAKEN. That is what viruses normally do when they are dying out. Some of you must have had University Biology class 101 or maybe Virology. The Health Department should come out and tell the truth, not like the USA MSM Fake News outlets that has a vested interest in getting and keeping people afraid..
    The PRC tests done on the deceased, even if a person dies in a car accident, are often done at 30,000 rotations or more, that guarantees that anyone who has had virtually any exposure to Covid-19 will come out positive. So they always say the person died of Covid-19 when most of them do not.
    This is just one way to “fix” the data to keep us scared, but there are other ways….Also…By 31 December there are usually over 1,500,000 cases of flu in the USA; this year, by 27 December it was only 877, eight hundred and seventy seven. Figure it out eh? Do you really think the US Media is putting out accurate data?
    There are words of Jesus that were not put into the New Testament but are in other scriptures…

    “To learn what is hidden from you, first you have to know what is right in front of you.”—Jesus of Nazareth.

  5. As much more is now known about the virus since it “appeared”, It is too bad that many authorities have not received this information, ESPECIALLY IN SVG. From this video you will learn much more about the virus than from any of the authorities in SVG, including and sadly, especially the NDP:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uese-6Xln7o

  6. Although I like very much about Friday, when he says the government should inform the public about the state of the virus, I suggest that both the government and Friday first inform themselves.
    Even the bad move by the UK to lockdown the entire country does NOT INCLUDE SCHOOLS! At least Boris Johnson is informed enough to know that CHILDREN UNDER 19 YEARS OF AGE ARE NOT AT RISK OF DYING FROM THE VIRUS! According to the CDC and organizations around the world, the death rate of those under 19 years of age is VIRTUALLY ZERO! Yet we in SVG have not learned this and we close the schools!
    I ask: where are these children when they are not in school? CHILDREN ARE SAFER AND FAR BETTER-OFF IN SCHOOL than elsewhere!
    I may also add that although the WHO pressures “countries” to lockdown thier populations, it is the Global Financial Institutions that are leading the charge. They have even threatened some leaders to lockdown thier populations. If you take the time to think, you will know why it is institutions like the Worldbank and the IMF doing that!

  7. The Cumrod should insist that the locals who tested positive for covid 19 be quarantined in a hotel of his choice.These locals should be made to pay for their accommodation and meals also This way the Cumrod is keeping the hotel sector alive and he’s stopping community spread. The rest of the word will be envious of the world Boss’s sheer brilliance in the way he turned around a failed economy in the midst of this pandemic.

  8. I find it very strange that as far as the virus is concerned our Prime Minister is somewhat frugal and Friday is hinting at passing out money. I thought it was the other way around. Because of the virus that everyone is in a panic about, in spite of it now devolving to a 99.9% survival rate for those that do get it. The measures governments are taking are doing and will do far more damage than the virus itself: Here is a video from Peter Schiff, who used to have SVG as the “headquarters” of his Europacific Bank. He alludes to the expression “Those who spend beyond their means are destined to live beneath their means”.

  9. THERE IS NO CONTAGIOUS VIRUS. http://virusesarenotcontagious.com

    Death “by COVID” is just compromised red blood cells not getting into the alveoli of the lungs to exchange CO2/O2. They bunch up and cannot move into the capillaries. Dr. Robert O. Young has explained this MULTIPLE times in his recordings.

    According to Dr. Young, COVID = Pathological Blood Coagulation:

    “As I have previously stated, when it comes to COVID, there is not 1 virus, not 1 cause and not 1 disease. Part of the psy-op is to convince you that there is a single killer virus out there, and that if we could just find and isolate this virus, we could destroy it and rescue the world from this dreaded pandemic. It’s an illusion.”

    “Young reveals that what the WHO has called “COVID” is a biochemical poisoning of bodily fluids causing cellular membrane breakdown and genetic mutation. This means deterioration of cell membranes, due to a toxic environment, created due to a compromised bioterrain (see here for the background on bio terrain, and the importance of terrain theory over germ theory). COVID is not a viral condition. COVID symptoms are circulatory problems that stem from pathological blood coagulation. In technical medical terms, this coagulation (lumping and sticking together of red blood cells) is known as DIC or Disseminated Intervascular Coagulation. Blood coagulation means the blood changes from a liquid to a gel or semi-solid state, forming a blood clot. This can be potentially dangerous, because when blood coagulates or clots, it can get stuck and prevent blood flow. In this state the blood does not fully and freely intake oxygen and release waste products. When blood clots, it can’t enter the capillary system to facilitate the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. Young stresses that blood coagulation signals:

    1. the inability of the blood to remove its waste products and pick up oxygen; and
    2. that the blood is clotting inside the vascular system, so that acids can not be removed and thus accumulate, leading to toxic overload and disease.”

  10. Just checking on Dr. Friday’s record as an ineffective politician and political leader I must tell him to, “shut the hell up and let Ralph and his bunch of bandits keep destroying the country in whatever way they can. Because Dr. Friday is clueless as to what is going on with covid-19 in the country and has no idea as to what strategy to use to take us out of this shit.
    Irrespective, of the backings that he is getting from his cronies as regards to what good leader he is, I will suggest that he “Quit while he is ahead. Because it is due to his ineffectiveness across the board we are in this mess with another five years of Ralph destructive management of our country”.
    I have voted NDP last election to recuse our country from ULP but Dr. Friday ineffective and corrupt political campaign strategy ensured that Ralph and ULP remain in power for five more years. Now, he is here talking shit about ULP and effective covid-19 strategy. Give me a damn break Dr. Friday.

  11. Everything is politicized in SVG. If the NDP has information as to how to effectively manage Covid 19, then they should share it with the nation and the rest of the world. People are dying and suffering. Why keep the information secret? Are you waiting until you get into power when your own supporters are suffering from COVID 19? Please help the world!
    It is time we move beyond this narrow minded approach to politics and work together with our limited resources to build and empower lives.

  12. Something So.. says:

    St. Vincent essentially has profited greatly off of COVID. That being “the one Caribbean destination still open to tourism”. As a result we have seen an influx of tourists, but the adherence to the protocols is where it fell short.

    We presently still have persons flying in from the UK after the mutant strain emerged. We also have persons in quarantine who haven’t seen a nurse since entry at the airport, and received no follow up testing.

    The hotels are now charging 11 days stay, claiming the first day is not quarantine.
    Taximen are getting paid extra to carry baggage, however, are their taxis sanitized between trips?

    There are a mingling of guests on and off the plane, some guest even make plans to break quarantine, however, only the locals appear in court.

    This Covid is not taken seriously, its taken seriously when money is to be passed into open hands as profit..

    Imagine you, a hard working Vincentian, who had to go overseas for emergency medical, and upon returning to SVG, you are being told to pay a minimum of 550USD or 1700xcd + 16% VAT for quarantine and to supply your own food. Where will you find that money? How can you not break quarantine if there is no one to buy that food for you? are you to starve for those 10 – 14 days? and Yes you read correctly, 16% VAT is paid on each hotel stay.

    No infringement on freedoms? But children who are sick with chicken pox are asked to stay home. Isn’t that infringing on their freedoms? what about Tuberculosis? will you be comfortable sitting in a van next to a person who is infected with TB and has a persistent cough? Who are you to tell that person not to travel? isn’t that too infringing on their freedoms?

    This level of thinking is high ranking selfishness, are we waiting until we have our first death to take this seriously?

  13. So …

    Then …

    Let’s have a plan, a more comprehensive plan by the NDP to tackle what appears to be “no plans” for our country.

    What is lacking to my mind, is transparency as to who do what and there appears to be (I may be wrong), duplication of efforts; lack of follow up; tardiness and misinformation. We have to get it right otherwise every Vincentian are likely to suffer more. Dengue, erupting volcano and Covid 19! We must get our PLAN OF ACTION IN ACTION.

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