Vaccine mandate is ‘most wicked, most evil’ law ever passed in SVG, PSU says

The COVID-19 vaccine mandate that came into effect in late 2021, resulting in hundreds of public sector workers losing their jobs is “the most wicked, most evil piece of legislation that ever passed in the House of Parliament”.

President of the Public Service Union, Elroy Boucher made the assertion as he called on Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves, his government and the Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Simone Keizer-Beache to seek forgiveness for the law.

Boucher said that Gonsalves “has a way of asking the people for forgiveness at certain times” and commended the leader for this. 

He noted at a union press conference in Kingstown on Tuesday that a public health emergency is still in effect in St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), one year after the World Health Organization declared over, the pandemic that resulted in the emergency. 

“… it’s hard to think of what reason that they would have had to keep their public health emergencies going when it is based on the pandemic.  There is no longer any pandemic,” Boucher said.

He said that following the WHO declaration, the Minister of Health in SVG, St. Clair “Jimmy” Prince also declared that the pandemic was over. 

“So certain category of workers, …  the mandate on them to be vaccinated has been discontinued,” Boucher said.

The mandate is still in place for healthcare workers, Boucher, however, said.  

“What reason would the government have to still have us under a public health emergency for COVID-19?” Boucher said, adding that he no longer hears people talking about COVID-19. 

“People are just free going about their business,” he said, adding that the government, however, still has the country under a health emergency and still has part of the public service under the vaccine mandate.

“I ask the government why? Why is this the case? And I really find it difficult in understanding what reason they would have for still doing that.”

Boucher, a worker in the maintenance department of the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital, said workers in the Ministry of Health, especially at hospitals and people who want to enrol at the School of Nursing have to be vaccinated.

“… even at a time that we are now seeing some of the adverse effects that are happening with respect to the very vaccine, they have to be vaccinated; cannot be right.”

The High Court has ruled that the mandate is unlawful, unconstitutional and void and that the workers fired under it never ceased to hold their posts. However, the government has appealed that ruling and the judgement of the higher court is pending. 

Boucher noted that during the last meeting of Parliament, Central Kingstown MP, St. Clair Leacock, an opposition lawmaker, asked Prince if the government was willing to apologise to the workers who were dismissed.

“And he said that the government never fired anybody,” Boucher said. 

“It’s an insensitive, a shameful statement from a governing politician. It’s a statement that shows that you have no empathy for the sufferings and the hardship that this piece of legislation put over 300-plus workers through,” the union leader further said. 

“I want to state, this legislation is the most wicked, most evil piece of legislation that ever passed in the House of Parliament.

“And for the Minister of Health, under whose hand all of this came, this mandate, to make such a statement it’s a very sad time indeed; very sad. People have suffered.”

Boucher noted that radio personality and taxi operator Kingsley De Freitas spoke on radio recently about what he said was the impact of COVID-19 vaccination on his health. 

“But there are many others like him,” he said, noting that Keizer-Beache testified in court about a woman who died after taking the jab.

“But there are others like her. People have suffered. They have suffered health, and they have suffered financially and they continue to suffer,” Boucher said.

“And for a government that refused to acknowledge the suffering it has brought on people, it’s the most callous type of behaviour that you have seen in a very long time. 

“Dr. Gonsalves has a way of asking the people for forgiveness at certain times. And I commend him on that because you need to get to the point where you are humble enough to recognise that you have wronged people. 

“But the one thing that he needs to ask for forgiveness for is this vaccine mandate, not him alone; him along with his entire cabinet, including the CMO, Ms Keizer-Beache. All of them need to ask the Vincentian public for forgiveness for what they did; not double down in denial.”

Boucher said there is “a constant eroding of our rights by politicians who we empowered to govern us in a responsible and a just way. 

And as Vincentians, we need to pay attention. What next will they do? If you cannot acknowledge the wrong that you have done, it is more than likely that you can repeat it and do worse than that.”

The trade unionist said Vincentians need to pay attention.

“Don’t get bogged down in the politics, the partisan politics, of the day. Think about your interests. 

“And as a trade union, we have to advocate against all of these things and advocate for the rights of our people and the protection of those sacred rights and not get carried away with partisan politics. These are important times for us to pay attention.”