The main opposition New Democratic Party, on Thursday, described as a “draconian measure” the government’s vaccine mandate, which comes into effect today (Friday).
Under the mandate, police officers, teachers, certain public servants and employees of state entities will be required to take a COVID-19 vaccine or lose their jobs.
“The New Democratic Party believes that this draconian measure is the wrong approach to the problem of low level of COVID-19 vaccination in SVG,” the party said in a press statement.
“We call for an approach guided by compassion, consideration and practicality; not bullying and coercion. Firing government workers (or threatening to fire them), many of whom have given numerous years of selfless service to our country, because they have not decided to be vaccinated is harsh and unfair,” the party said.
“Throwing people off work and taking away their benefits can only create more hardship and pain in an already difficult situation.”
The NDP said that statements by government officials about replacing with new recruits, police officers, teachers, nurses, and other workers who have years of experience in their jobs “disrespects the service and skill of those affected employees.
“Instead, their experience and skill must be valued, and every effort made to retain those workers in the service. Anyone who is fired or resigns because of the government’s vaccine mandate must be rehired or otherwise compensated without loss of benefits.”
The NDP said that many people in SVG have received “confusing or conflicting information and are genuinely fearful about vaccination.
“So, government action should be persuasive rather than punitive. It is only through such collaborative endeavours, communication, and trust that we can improve our vaccination levels. We call for more effective campaigns to provide information to allays fears and enable people to make informed decisions.
“The government must withdraw its high-handed measures and explore alternatives that involve greater consultation and engagement with the affected persons and their trade union leaders and the use of an aggressive information campaign about Covid-19.
“Our goal must be to bring our people forward along the path to progress, not to divide them and drive them into greater economic hardship and unhappiness,” the party said.
As of Thursday, 51,288 doses of COVID-19 vaccines had been administered in the country, even as the government had hoped to have put 50,000 jabs into arms by April 2021.
Of the vaccines administered, 29,249 were second doses, and 21,500 were first doses.
The number of active cases of COVID-19 across the country was 1,243 and since March, 2020, SVG has recorded 5,359 cases of COVID-19 and 73 people have died of the illness.
Really limp, wishy-washy leadership during a pandemic!! If we in SVG and the world are to get through this pandemic, discipline and vaccination are needed. PM Gonsalves’ courageous approach is exactly what is required now.
Tens of thousands protest the draconian mandates in Europe and worldwide, This video is in Vienna:
https://twitter.com/i/status/1462099359072342018
If the vaccine was a thousand dollars or would be of any benefit ONLY the Labour Party supporters would get it. In SVG you are either a LABOUR HOG or a KEY DONKEY, we are no longer Vincentians. If the vaccine was any good labour supporters would be kicking up that they not voting for the party again because NDP people getting the vaccine. SVG is in such a sad state, it is very dissappointing. Where have our Hairouna gone?
Look like any thing the opposition propose the ULP cabinet is against it. That look totalitarian to me, like the all or nothing game. All for me and nothing for you. The PM constant bragging and doing wrong things, you can see that something is wrong.
Friday is a far more compassionate man than we have ever had as a leader. Unfortunately he sometimes makes bad judgements. I am glad he was not in power at the beginning of the virus because he would have locked the country down. Very stupid! But now that these terrible vaccines are everywhere, his compassion would be very welcome compared to what we have now. Our present PM is a smart man, he just does not care about the people very much.
it there were an election today we would have to choose between smart and arrogant or compassionate. . Friday has far better economic sense in non-virus times but Gonsalves has poor economics most all the time.