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Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves, left, and President of VINTAS, Royron Adams.
Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves, left, and President of VINTAS, Royron Adams.
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VINTAS, the umbrella body for omnibuses in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, is accusing the government of using “Chinese draconian measures” to pressure omnibus operators to take the COVID-19 vaccine.

Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves said, last year, that in calling for a closure of the nation’s borders and other measures to help stop the importation of COVID-19 cases, the opposition wanted the government to impose “Chinese draconian measures” on the people.

But Royron Adams, president of the Vincentian Transportation Association, told iWitness News, on Monday, that that is exactly what Gonsalves is proposing when he announced on Sunday that omnibus operators and conductors will have to take a COVID-19 jab if they want to carry more than half of their licensed capacity.

For the last month or so, omnibus operators in SVG have been restricted to carrying one-half of their licensed capacity, as part of efforts to curb the spread of the illness, amidst a spike, nationally, which has since subsided.

Gonsalves said that the law tying omnibus ridership to the vaccination of the operators could become law, on Tuesday, via a statutory rule and order (SRO) – legislation passed by the Cabinet.

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“Well, for one we have not been consulted on that matter,” Adams told iWitness News.

 And for two, I would imagine that on the face of it, it raises concern about people’s natural rights,” he said, adding that VINTAS was prepared to seek legal counsel on the matter.

“I have not seen any details of the SRO and I’m really hoping that this was something that was supposed to be provocative, rather than a serious implementation of what I consider to be natural rights, constitutional [rights],” Adams told iWitness News.

“Obviously, to commingle one’s personal choice [about whether to be vaccinated] with the demands that VINTAS have made for an increase in capacity, to me, seems to be a case of the government trying to impose their own objectives on our sector. And again, it’s something we continue to see,” Adams said.

VINTAS has been lobbying the government to allow omnibuses, at the minimum, to transport two-thirds of their licensed capacity.

Adams said that if the government is serious about passing the law, it would raise issues about whether a similar law would be in force for nurses, police officers, teachers, and for civil servants, in general.

“I guess not, because then that would lead to, potentially, a constructive dismissal issue that I’m sure no government wants to deal with from a class action perspective. But, the underlying thing is that we got to wait and see what this SRO will look like, and to see what substantive legislation it is being derived from, we are prepared to take legal counsel on the matter,” he told iWitness News.

In announcing his government’s plan, Gonsalves said on WE FM on Sunday that tying the vaccine to omnibus occupancy is intended to “incentivise” operators to take the jab.

The government’s latest pitch to get persons to take the vaccine comes even as churches have been allowed to increase their attendance from 10 persons — which continues to be the limit on all indoor gatherings — to one third of their capacity.

Adams said that while he is “a firm believer” and has a lot of respect for religion and the church,

public policy must appear to be equitable, or it must meet that threshold of being equitable to all.

“I think when policymakers implement policies that, on face value, appear to be discriminatory, it is clear to me that we have a problem in terms of developing policies that are equitable to all.

“And in the case of what was allowed for the churches and now what we are seeing from what is now being proposed for the minibus sector, clearly, you can see discrimination written all over those two policies,” Adams told iWitness News.

“The question is going to be asked, ‘Well, what happened to the other sectors? What happened to restaurants and bars that are looking to increase their capacity for dining in? Why not ask the supermarkets to mandate that people should have vaccination cards to enter? What about a market where you have people in crowds … buying provisions and other agricultural products?’ Are they going to be mandated [to wear masks]? Are we going to see the government saying the entire population must take this vaccine because now, everywhere you go, there is a crowd congregating?

“And if you’re saying in order to congregate, that you must vaccinate, then this is quickly [developing] into a situation where the government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines is saying that you do not have a choice. And I just think that that is a very dangerous thing for any government to want to pursue. I guess it is all left to be seen how the citizens of St. Vincent and the Grenadines [respond to these], to use the prime minister’s term, ‘Chinese draconian measures’,” Adams said.

12 replies on “PM resorting to ‘Chinese draconian measures’ — VINTAS”

  1. What is not mentioned is that once these omnibus people become vaccinated they are then able to transmit the virus to others. THEY THEN BECOME CONTAGIOUS!

    For those that are frightened of the virus: Is that safety?

    Is there an agenda at play or is it that no one in the leadership of either party can think?

  2. I want to see our PM getting the controversial Astra vaccine. I want to see them open the big box, pick a random vial, put it in a syringe and then inject it into our PM. If he, after long thought gets the safe vaccine and we are NOT ALLOWED TO THINK AND supposed to get the dangerous vaccine, He should BE A LEADER FOR ONCE and set the example instead of the communist:
    “Do as I say, not as I do” attitude.

  3. Isn’t it strange that not long ago people had rights and could choose for themselves. It was something known as FREEDOM. Now leaders around the world are “confiscating” rights and finding ways to force people to do what they want them to do (for reasons of power, wealth or arrogance) even though the sovereign (free individual) wants differently?
    Whatever happend to rights and the notion of Freedom?

    Maybe let the minibus operators and those riding, decide how many or if they want to ride if the bus is crowded, (the option to disembark), at no charge? Why the draconian laws?…to force the vaccine onto us?

  4. People don’t care about their own lives when it comes to making a dollar. How did people get so desperate? Gonsalves is right to try to mitigate these circumstances. He did initially downplay the severity of this deadly airborne virus 100x deadlier than the flu and even though he is to blame for the current situation with all the double talk, If for once everybody could be on the same page we will get through this. You have built an engine and when it is put to the test it fails miserably. Invest money in the country, build some factories. Textile factories, canned goods. Buy 10 fishing boats and fish the oceans. Agriculture is a sure bet. SVG could easily become a market-based consumer economy. Most people will be happy with that; make the island duty-free to attract tourists. Stop prostituting the Grenadines. When your engine running well it will not fail under pressure. Not like the 6 for 9 you trying to sell people, Dr.

    1. Heh! That is a good question! Maybe all passengers also have to vaccinate before they are allowed to ride. Draconian leadership is creeping up on us more and more every day..

  5. This Mr. Adams sounds more knowledgeable than 2/3 of our current Ministers. Which Minister of Health is responsible for this ‘van driver vaccination’ idiocracy? This is a health issue so this Minister has to take the blame.

    1. I was thinking the same thing! Mr. Adams seems to be a sharp guy. Both political parties seem to have less respect for the people’s rights. Maybe Mr. Adams cares more about his people than the politicians do about THE people. Always remember Ben Franklin, OUR POLITICIANS HAVE FORGOTTEN…

      “Those who sacrifice freedom for security will lose both and deserve neither”

      THAT IS HOW STUPID MOST POLITICIANS ARE TODAY…INCLUDING IN SVG!

      I think I would like to hear more from Mr. Adams. He may be a leader in waiting! A leader we do not have in SVG today.

  6. I call on all Vincentians to read this article if they have not done so as yet.

    The issue of choice, individual choice and one’s constitutional rights are in question or under review here.

    Mr. Adams raises some very pertinent questions. I have another to ask: If I don’t take the vaccine, will I be allowed to buy and sell or move freely across the landscape call St. Vincent and the Grenadines?

    I am surprised that people everywhere are not asking more questions about this matter that our Honourable Prime Minister raises.

    Politicians are NOT, repeat, NOT generally medical doctors.

    I am mindful that we have trained medical professionals here in SVG and within the diaspora.

    Let us get something right for once. How about these questions that need serious answers:
    Are these vaccines tested and verified as safe for our Vincentian people?

    Where are our OWN medical professionals to verify that our Vincentian people are going to be safe in the long term?
    Is it that our people can become poisoned by others who appear to have our “interests” at heart within the context of this vaccine? Where are our medical professionals? We have medical doctors! They need to speak up!
    We are not an ignorant bunch of individuals, we are a Sovereign state, poor but NOT stupid and our nation is recognised world wide. Where are our medical professionals to guide us?Our medical professionals must be trusted to give us their honest opinion.

    I look at long lines of terrified individuals who are loyal to a party and are led by political persuasions and it appears that they are not led by well reasoned medically informed decisions. Oh my God! Help us Lord for more of our peoples within this blessed nation to wake up!

    How do we know that the same vaccine given to PM is the same one that you are given? Are you sure? Did you see it? We need to be more responsible!

    I hope that our government is not one that accepts money from the international community without question. We cannot afford to accept any vaccine without some sort of verification as to safety for our people!

    Many persons have reservations. I cannot accept this vaccine without verification by our trained medical professionals, who are educated enough to say what is it’s constitution!

    There are numerous articles and videos in circulation but let’s get one thing straight, our nation is made up of a people who bear each other’s burdens (or should do).

    Look, if we succumb to international pressure we are doomed! Is the vaccine given to our people from the same batch given to Europeans, Australians, British nationals and the US nationals?

    I have to write, I have to talk about this since many, many persons appear not to be thinking for themselves.

    Finally, if I say NO, I am not taking it, it is my health and I am not going against the political party/government or the PM for saying so.

    Fellow Vincentians, please, please I beg of you to demand greater sense of accountability from our medical professionals! Help us, doctors, help us and speak up about this vaccine.

    Another thing, how about building our immune system with the consumption of herbs and spices and continuing to practice personal hygiene as always?

    Absolutely amazed that any right thinking individual could allow a foreign “controversial substance/COVID VACCINE” to be injected into their bodies on the basis of guidance from politicians and not the brilliant medical nurses and doctors that we have here in SVG!

    Absolutely amazed!

  7. It disheartens me to see that government officials are trying to coerce the citizens of SVG and the Americas to take a vaccine that they know little about. In America, our civil liberties are being eroded due to the plandemic, while our elected puppets of the new world order are being “incentivized” to push an agenda for personal gain.

    No one wants to talk about how the IMF are bribing world leaders to enforce strict measures on their people. Anybody familiar about the Eastern European country leader who said no thanks to the IMF.

    Just curious to know if the 16 Million dollar advancement is helping make things brighter in SVG?

    https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2020/05/20/pr20221st-vincent-and-the-grenadines-imf-exec-board-approves-disbursement-to-adress-covid19

    Anyone familiar about how Moderna was on its way to collapse before Mr. Gates (population reduction expert) rescued his company, now the CEO is worth a billion usd.

    https://www.statnews.com/2016/09/13/moderna-therapeutics-biotech-mrna/

    https://investors.modernatx.com/news-releases/news-release-details/moderna-licenses-new-vaccine-candidates-against-new-viral-target

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